Has Netflix changed its mind about the FCC? Variety suggests that it has:
Netflix appears to have backtracked on its previous position that broadband Internet service should be regulated by the U.S. government as a telecommunications utility.
Last year, Netflix urged the FCC to reclassify broadband as a telecom service, under Title II of the Communications Act. In a July 2014 filing, Netflix said that “Title II provides [the FCC with] a solid basis to adopt prohibitions on blocking and unreasonable discrimination by ISPs. Opposition to Title II is largely political, not legal.”
But now?
Now Netflix, it seems, is having second thoughts about Title II regulation of broadband.
On Wednesday, Netflix chief financial officer David Wells, speaking at the 2015 Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, said the company wasn’t happy with the FCC move. He said that, while the streaming-video company wanted to see “strong” net neutrality measures to ensure content providers would be protected against ISPs charging arbitrary interconnection fees, Netflix would have preferred a lighter regulatory touch.
“Were we pleased it pushed to Title II? Probably not,” Wells said at the conference. “We were hoping there would be a non-regulated solution.”
If only someone had warned these companies that you can’t ask the crocodile to bite you just a little bit.