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Netflix Rejects Canadian Regulator Jurisdiction Over Online Video
An anonymous reader writes "Last week's very
public fight between the CRTC and Netflix escalated on Monday
as Netflix refused to comply with Commission's order to supply
certain confidential information including subscriber numbers and
expenditures on Canadian children's content. While the disclosure
concerns revolve around the confidentiality of the data, the far
bigger issue is now whether the CRTC has the legal authority to
order it to do anything at all. Michael Geist reports
that Netflix and Google are ready to challenge it in a case that
could head to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Classic example of regulation only getting in the way of the free enterprise without offering any benefit to the customer.
Exactly. Look at how great limited regulation fared in 2006-2008 when the financial industry whined and complained about the "burdensome" regulations that were proposed regarding their use of derivatives, capitalization and related matters.
Not having regulations worked out really well, didn't it? It only cost us taxpayers a few billion dollars to clean up the mess.
We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
That's just it. They are YOUR laws and your sovereignty, not Netflix's. YOU are crossing the digital border into the United States as Netflix doesn't appear to maintain a physical presence in Canada. Don't like it? Tough. You'd have the same response if the US tried to enforce it's laws and sovereignty on something that was wholly Canadian but possible to be consumed in the United States.
Except as everyone is noting here, they are NOT broadcasting. They are an on-demand service. Percentage of Canadian content can't apply when your customers pick and choose what they want to see. The CRTC has no jurisdiction here - Netflix isn't radio, television, and it's barely 'telecommunication'. Interesting too that it's being squeezed by the government right after the major carriers announced their own on-demand service... protectionism? Definately.
We as Canadians have a different approach to government and how we want to build our society.
Yes, but not all Canadians buy into the CRTC's approach. I am absolutely opposed to all the CanCon and related regulations imposed by the CRTC. I'm completely fine with the federal and provincial governments subsidizing broadcasters and the arts in general (TVO is a great example of this done well), but I'm utterly opposed to their regulating what private broadcasters have to show.
we're not too fond of an American company trying to wreck the system of local content production.
Speak for yourself. I'm fine with anyone wrecking the Canadian content production system. 90% of content producers will go under because they produce content no-one cares about. The 10% that survive will do so because they produce really good content and are competitive. Ultimately, it will lead to a healthier content-production industry that's not dependent on protectionist measures for its survival. Maybe we'll even be able to open up an export market for Canadian content.
My guess is that you are completely wrong. Most of us are completely confused as to how spending tax dollars to subsidize TV shows and movies that nobody watches actually helps Canadian culture.
If you think Canadian culture is so fragile that it cannot survive without the protection of the CRTC, they you really don't think much of Canadians.