Who's Minding the Store? Internet Companies Take Over Real Estate Industry!

Glen Roberts of Inman News recently reported that "the idea of a national multiple listing service has moved out of the realm of science fiction and into the realm of serious discussion" David Charron, president and CEO for Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, the largest multiple listing service in the United States said that, "the idea of a national MLS is a wonderful thing!" And, that he expects rapid change in the MLS industry, evolving into "an entirely different business" in the next 18 months.
David Charron would be one of the benefactors if we were to go down this road. And, the realtors that provide the MLS data would be further compromised as big business steps in and dictates how our industy should operate. When will someone from NAR, CAR, and the local Associations stand up and say no to all these corporations that have invaded our industry? We create the data, and then all these lead generation companies try to sell leads back to us? Why aren't they paying for access to this data? How did thet take over control our MLS data? We created the data their expoiting. They should be paying us!
Where's the leadership? Any Internet company that is in the business of exploiting the real estate industry is given carte blanche when accessing our MLS data...why?
Any efforts to 'nationalize" the MLS will only continue to erode our relationship with the MLS data that we create. Local associations need to take control of their own MLS data and it's distribution to what extent they can. Our current leadership believes that there is very little that we can do? Why are we so intimidated by these large internet businesses that feed on us? Now more than ever, at the local level, realtors need to stand up and defend our industry before the David Charron's take it away from us.
A national MLS is good for the corporations that want to control the data. With so many internet side vendors they'll make a fortune on the backs of the realtors who create the data.
Really, how many realtors need to practice out of state? Now that the markets are in transition and struggling, predators are everywhere. Who's watching the store?