Regulation is essential

‘PLATFORMS hit choice’ (CP, 4/5) written by News Corp executive chairman Michael Miller should be essential reading for all, including politicians.

He describes accurately a dangerous recent trend in online media, advertising and privacy. There is no such thing as ‘free services’.

Recent exposures of private information being sold by Facebook and political interference by Google are troubling.

Miller writes ‘In terms of the ACCC inquiry, News Corp has not formed a final view as to whether government intervention is required to address the platforms’ negative influence’.

Governments regulate monopolies where fair economic competition does not exist. Appropriate regulation is always necessary for natural monopolies.

A similar approach is essential for contrived digital platform monopolies and related activities. Peter Senior, Redlynch 1869: The first transcontinental US railway is completed when the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines are joined at Promontory, Utah. 1933: In Berlin, 25,000 books are thrown into a bonfire in the first Nazi book- burning. 1940: Germany invades the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium; British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain resigns and Winston Churchill forms government. 1941: Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess parachutes into Scotland in an apparent attempt to negotiate a peace deal. 1963: The Rolling Stones hold their first

recording session. 1994: Nelson Mandela is inaugurated as

the first black president of South Africa. BIRTHDAYS: Bono, Irish singer/ songwriter of U2 (1960-); Linda Evangelista (above), Canadian supermodel (1965-).