With tech giants competing ruthlessly to dominate the mobile industry, there seems to be no shortage of controversy, and this week was no exception.  Google and Verizons’ joint public statement advocating a mobile web free of net neutrality regulations set the internet ablaze—from tech blogs to the nation’s largest print publishers, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal—with millions weighing in on the matter.  But aside from the controversy, how could policies like those proposed by Google and Verizon shape the future of mobile marketing and the role of developers going forward?

The central claim of the statement is that distribution of content over the wireless Internet should not be regulated by the FCC, or any other authority for that matter, in order to ensure that the exceptional progress of mobile Web development is not hampered.  Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of Verizon, told the press “the imposition of too many rules up front would not allow us to optimize this network in a fashion that would supercharge the growth we’ve seen in the past.”  But without government regulation, wireless carriers would have complete control over the content distributed over their respective networks, enabling them to select which content to make available, and which to give priority to.  Unfortunately, if wireless service providers give priority to certain sources or types of content, at cost to others, they could be compromising both the rate of development, and the spirit of enterprise on the mobile Web.  In fact, should wireless carriers decide to adopt this policy, it could actually counteract mobile ingenuity, as carriers could start requiring developers and corporations to pay for their partiality—shifting the focus away from the true innovators to those willing to pay for the carriers’ favor (or to have any mobile presence what-so-ever).  In essence, if the policies proposed by Verizon and Google prevail (or, at least, if they are abused) on the mobile Web, they could stifle competition altogether.

In the past, Google strongly opposed such practices, so it’s hard to believe that they have such intentions for the mobile web—but their future plans with Verizon may be indicative of a change-of-heart.  Last week a post was published on the site BoyGeniusReport supposedly leaking the Android devices to be released by Verizon in the next year and, if the gadgets to come are any indication, it’s full steam ahead for the Google-Verizon partnership—though Google insists that has nothing to do with their joint public statement.  Ironically, the net neutrality that has prevailed on the broadband Internet is largely responsible for their huge success, leading many critics to suggest that they may have forgotten their roots.

But startups aren’t the only party that stands to suffer if the ideas proposed by Google and Verizon become standards on the mobile Web—mobile web users, too, could lose their freedom to access content of their choosing over the wireless internet.  A closed, stratified mobile web could restrict mobile users to a select amount of content, slow download speeds, or “cabilized” data, forcing users pay more to access higher tiers of content.

But despite the statement issued by the two mobile giants, the federal government will have the ultimate say over whether or not to enforce net neutrality on the wireless Internet.  Meanwhile, there is no shortage of vocal opponents to the policy, including Facebook, which issued a statement of opposition, contending that “preserving an open Internet that is accessible to innovators—regardless of their size or wealth—will promote a vibrant, competitive marketplace where consumers have control.”  The intense controversy that the Google-Verizon statement has sparked certainly makes it clear, however, that the mobile web will be the single most important platform for businesses, brands and advertisers in the future.  And regardless of what the feds ultimately decide, it’s plain to see that mobile development will play a huge role, though, in the future, wireless carriers may be shaping that role.