Both the article and the original &quot;flash boys&quot; book make a compelling case about how HFT can in some cases be used to virtually front run orders. I personally don&#x27;t understand the system enough to prove or disprove those claims.<p>I do think that an exchange that places less of a premium on speed like the IEX is a reasonable way to let the market itself evaluate the benefits of HFT. If the exchanges with HFT do provide a better value in terms of liquidity or price then the IEX will suffer as it provides an inferior product. If IEX flourishes then it is providing some value to investors. Let investors vote with their dollars