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Roku Has Hired a Team of Lobbyists As it Gears Up For a Net Neutrality Fight (recode.net)

Posted by msmash on from the fighting-back dept.

Roku appears to be arming itself for the coming net neutrality war. From a report on Recode: The web video streaming and hardware company has plenty at stake as the Federal Communications Commission prepares to pull back rules that require internet providers to treat all web traffic equally. For Roku and others in the business, an end to the Obama-era protections could make it harder -- or, in some cases, more expensive -- to offer content or services to customers at top download speeds. That's why Roku has hired a pair of Republican lobbyists through an outside government-affairs firm, according to a federal ethics reports filed this week, specifically to focus on net neutrality. It's the first time the company has ever retained lobbyists in Washington, D.C. Many in the tech industry support the Obama-era FCC's net neutrality rules, which currently subject telecom companies to utility-style regulation. To Democrats, it's the only way to stop the likes of AT&T, Comcast, Charter or Verizon from blocking competing services or charging media companies for faster delivery of their content.

6 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Generic Party doesn't apply to all. by fishscene · · Score: 3

    "To Democrats, it's the only way to stop the likes of AT&T, Comcast, Charter or Verizon from blocking competing services or charging media companies for faster delivery of their content." Not just to Democrats - pretty much anyone who understands networks just how evil these non-competing, money-stealing, progress-inhibiting ISP's can be.

    1. Re:Generic Party doesn't apply to all. by oh_my_080980980 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Fuck off ass-hole. Hate to break it to fuck nuts but PEOPLE ARE PAYING ACCESS COMING AND GOING. Amazon pays for on-line access and user pay for on-line access. The only ones whining or the damn ISPs because they feel they should be able to double dip and charger Amazon because their content is traveling through their tubs. Well ass-hole it is being paid for by the fucking user.

      And no it's not the fucking backbone that is asking for more money. It's Verizon, AT&T and Comcast.

      Fuck off and die.

    2. Re:Generic Party doesn't apply to all. by jimbolauski · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The internet was not created in a free market and should not be treated like one. The backbone providers built their backbone on eminent domain land grabs under the guise of public good. The ISPs made a deal with the socialism devil to build infrastructure and the socialism devil has come to collect. As much as it pains me to say this making internet providers a common carrier was the correct move by Obama. If I build a road I should be able to decide who uses it, if I use the government to force people to sell me their land I forfeit the right to choose who uses my road.

      Using eminent domain is a responsibility not a privilege.

      --
      Knowledge = Power
      P= W/t
      t=Money
      Money = Work/Knowledge so the less you know the more you make
  2. Re: Obama Era Incumbent Support by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    You mean Trump, right?

    I heard for eight years you can't blame the previous administration for problems.

  3. Internet service should be treated like a utility by mtmiller100 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    In this day and age, internet access is a public necessity, not a luxury. Because of this, I strongly believe ISPs should be regulated like utilities, like water, gas, and electricity.

  4. Re:Fuck Roku by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't know why people think H.265 means 4K.

    I care about H.265 because I could get the same quality from less bandwidth, or better quality from the same bandwidth.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook