“You will see that they proscribe government action. Free people are free. You can play with the ISP if you want or not.”
If only ISP service was really a free market. The three ISP providers available to me(phone company, wireless telecommunication company, and cable company) are government regulated franchises. The cable company has an exclusive franchise (i.e. monopoly) granted by the local government. That local authority, as well as the FCC regulates cable service providers.
The provision of telephone and wireless services is regulated by the state and the federal government. The local government is also involved in regulating the placement of cellular towers.
Essentially the provision of ISP services in my community is a oligarchy protected by government regulation.
You are correct that I am free to purchase internet services or not from the three government protected and regulated providers. Since they have protected franchises there is no free market negotiation with these providers, they offer the same terms on a “take it or do without” basis.
If it were a truly free market, without government imposed barriers to competition, I’d buy your argument. However, since the ISP’s operate with government barriers to new competition, which allows them to charge higher prices and bundle undesired services to extract more revenue from captive customers, I suggest it is also reasonable to expect customers to seek new terms from government when the government controlled market fails to provide alternative services or terms.
Excellent reply! But still, the government is not collecting and selling your information the ISP is. The fact that the federal government is interfering in a free market does not somehow expand the meaning and definition of the Constitution. As far I can tell ISP monopolies are created at the local level not the Federal. The government interferes in the employment market but it doesn’t stop me from prohibiting your speech while you work for me.