Former Sen. Chris Dodd Calls Ron Paul Plan For Internet Freedom "Dangerous"

Movie lobbyist calls Paul’s Internet plan “dangerous.”

Image by Michael Buckner / Getty Images

Charlotte, NC — A proposal by Rand and Ron Paul to let market forces police piracy on the Internet, rather than the government, would be “dangerous,” former Sen. Chris Dodd said Tuesday.

“What would happen to the Internet?” Dodd told BuzzFeed at a breakfast for the Connecticut delegation at the Democratic National Convention. “You can’t just have a legal, free environment where there aren’t any restrictions whatsoever.”

Paul’s plan, which he calls “The Technology Revolution,” would ban the government from regulating the Internet in any way. But Dodd, who now works as Hollywood’s top lobbyist, cautioned that such a system would make it impossible to protect creative property, including films.

“It’s dangerous,” he continued. “It would be dangerous for the Internet.”

The debate over government regulation of the Internet, particularly to curb Internet piracy, drew attention late last year when the Stop Online Piracy Act, or SOPA, fizzled in Congress after a public outcry from the tech industry, which opposes the anti-piracy regulations that the entertainment industry ‚ led by Dodd — supports.

During the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Dodd, a Democrat, lauded the Republican Party for its platform stance on the issue. But Tuesday, he offered equal praise for Democrats’ cooperation.

“It’s one of those issues that, frankly, both parties have been very supportive of helping,” he said.