Beware the psephologist!

It’s not often that I get the chance to use the word psephology in this blog but it sprang vividly to mind as I read the results of ISPreview’s latest opinion poll regarding net neutrality. This struck me as a prime example of the ways in which both the framing and interpretation of consumer surveys can reveal quite a lot about the views of the polling organisation itself.  In this case, could it be that ISPreview (like most neutrality fans) abhors the idea of any changes to the current internet business model?  Take the following survey question (and results), for example:

Who should foot the bill for your use of internet content?
The Customer (You) - 42.1%
Your ISP - 31.5%
Content Provider (e.g. Skype) - 26.2% 

A leading question perhaps?  Might the results have been different had the phrase ‘your use of internet content’ been replaced with, say, ‘the conveyance costs of the content you access’? 

As it is, ISPreview appears a little disappointed with the poll result:

“Less than half (42%) of the consumers questioned by ISPreview.co.uk agreed that customers should foot the bill for their own consumption of internet content, which is the normal way of doing things (i.e. the same way you pay for your gas or water supply)…” 

At a stroke, ISPreview thereby dismisses swathes of economic thought on the internet as a multi-sided market (and very different to the linear market for utilities).  Not content with this, the pollster then goes on to paint the dire consequences if the misguided 26.2% had their way: 

“It's not hard to imagine the chaos that could ensue if hundreds or even thousands of ISPs from around the world suddenly began demanding payments from content providers. Some would simply go out of business, thus harming the very content that makes the internet worth visiting…” 

Democracy in action…?