Question 5:

The Internet. Getting beyond the hype, what role, if any, should state government play in the development, promotion, use, taxation, and regulation of the Internet?

MONDALE Response 5:

The rapid expansion of the Internet in recent years has represented an exciting phase in technological development. Education, commerce and the general dissemination of information will never be the same again. As far as politics go, no candidate can consider running for office without a web site and e-mail address.

What is state government’s role in the Internet?

Development - State government should look at the Internet as an investment like roads and highways. It is essential to our economic future that the entire state have access to the Internet.

State government has another interest in developing the Internet - efficiency and customer service. The University of Minnesota has put many of its systems, such as registration and billing, on-line and this has transformed the way services are delivered there. I believe state government can learn a lot from U’s example about being more customer-oriented and innovative.

Promotion and use - I do not believe government has a role here.

Taxation - Efforts to tax Internet-related activities will only hurt an industry that needs more time to grow and develop.

Regulation - While I do not see a role at this time for government regulation, I strongly support a parent’s right to limit what their children can access on the Internet. Parents need to be aware of how much time their children are spending surfing the web, and monitoring which sites they are visiting.

Consumer protection laws should, however, apply to commerce on the Internet. Purchasing a product over the Internet should be just as safe as buying something from a catalog. While consumers should be wary of purchasing from unknown vendors, we still have a right to be protected from fraud and misrepresentation, which is probably easier to perpetrate behind a computer screen than over the phone or in person.