The so-called “Internet Reformation” is a hopeful alternative to business as usual, for both the purveyors of political facts and even traditional fiction publishers:

Over the last few years, the publishing world has begun to change drastically. As with the music industry in recent times, people no longer need large firms to get published. With the rise of the e-book and print-on-demand services, a writer can now circumvent the traditional system and release their work directly to the public themselves. — Reagen Dandridge Desilets

A more “democratic” intellectual development is hard to imagine. Nevertheless, the federal government wasn’t content to permit the “reformation” without hindrance:

One of the first things an author needs in order to self-publish is an International Standard Book Number, better known as an ISBN. It’s not required in some cases with ebooks but to maximize your sales and get listed in large name distributors and retailers, an author really does need one. In order to get one, the author has to go to the only company allowed to sell them in the United States: Bowker.

I suppose the idea is that it is easier to have one company managing the numbers, but a closer look reveals that, as usual, a monopoly creates a stifling environment that encourages price gouging and poor customer service. Self-publishing authors face expenses that can be very draining, especially with regard to getting one or more skilled editors. However, when the author goes to purchase an ISBN in preparation for publishing, they discover that one single number is $125.00!

Bowker’s exclusive control of ISBNs very probably came about through the usual political machinations:

. . . the government granted Bowker the monopoly. Clearly, this presents a problem with the idea of “freedom of the press” and indeed, “freedom of speech” as well. Perhaps, with the emergence of a large number of self-publishing authors, it would be best if the government stepped aside and allowed the market to regulate itself. This would help loosen the burden on potential authors and publishers and allow this avenue to be more open and available.

The “Internet Reformation” holds the promise of fulfilling the Founders’ intentions regarding free speech:

. . . The Bill of Rights strived to accomplish naming the liberties that were natural-born rights to be protected (as opposed to “rights” only granted by man or paper) and one of the most important was the freedom of speech and press. “Press” refers to the printing press and not only newspapers and journalists. The US Supreme Court’s ruling in Lovell v. City of Griffin, GA, 303 US 444 (1938) agrees that it includes anything published. So, the appearance of a lot of new self-published authors is a huge boost to the idea of “freedom of the press” and very much a boost to the American lifestyle and culture.

Read Desilets’ article — “Indie Authors Shaking the Pillars of Publishing” — on Mises Daily here and learn about such recondite concepts as “anti-copyright,” “copyleft,” and “copyheart.”

A related TAC article about the “Internet Reformation” is here.