Netflix Changes Course, Says It Will 'Never Outgrow' Fight For Net Neutrality (vice.com)

After a few months of wishy-washy statements on net neutrality indicating that the company had largely given up on it, Netflix is changing course. From a report: On July 12, the video streaming company will join Amazon, Reddit, Pornhub, Imgur, and more to incorporate slowed-down or disrupted service to raise awareness for the importance of strong net neutrality guidelines, giving visitors to its site a taste of what a future without a free and open internet could look like. The protest, organized by Fight for the Future, freepress, and Demand Progress, takes place five days before the first deadline for comments on the FCC's proposal to roll back net neutrality protections. The change in heart comes days after Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said, "[Net neutrality is] not narrowly important to us because we're big enough to get the deals we want."

Comments

ISPs should meter their customers

[OrangeTide]

Instead of trying to parasitically extract money from an arbitrary list of content providers, ISPs only need to charge us per bit. At that point those end users who are clogging up the Internet with UHD video traffic from Netflix & friends can pay a proportionally larger amount than people who read a blog and watch a few SD clips on YouTube.

Of course ISPs are too chicken to meter their customers after having made all these promises of "unlimited" service. And as a customer, I certainly wouldn't want to be metered. But if ISPs want to maximize their profits and charge people to support the infrastructure that is being used then end user metering is the obvious way. (and perfectly legal)

Re:ISPs should meter their customers

[lgw]

I'd be happy to pay by the GB - no caps, no throttles, no BS. I pay for the rest of my utilities that way.

Re:ISPs should meter their customers

[Anonymous Coward]

Then you're an idiot. An "unused" GB cannot be stored and sold later. The reason why you pay for "the rest of your utilities" that way is that they have costs associated with the wire, the pipes, etc. and the thing those wires and pipes transport. An unused gallon of water can be stored and sold to someone else, or not "created" in the first place. Treating water costs money. An ISP does not have a GB reservoir that you're using up. An ISP pays no money to replenish the GB they can offer to you. Unused bandwidth is wasted bandwidth. You pay for the bandwidth because that's the only thing that costs money. Every time someone wants to change who gets paid what, you idiots try to scare people into submission by waving this "pay by the GB" scenario over our heads. SHUT THE FUCK UP and return to your cave, trolls.

Re:ISPs should meter their customers

[PopeRatzo]

I'd be happy to pay by the GB - no caps, no throttles, no BS. I pay for the rest of my utilities that way.

No, you don't. Read your utilities bill someday.

Gatekeepers meet Keymasters

[Anonymous Coward]

Why do we allow those who control the pipes also have their own content?
This creates a huge conflict of interest in promoting the use of their content over someone like NF.

Too Late

[pak9rabid]

It's too late. You've already shown your true colors, this is just pandering to keep customers.

A fair-weather friend.

[Gravis Zero]

I could be wrong but it seems like Netflix only a proponent of network neutrality when it suits them. I suspect they have recently gotten notice that they are being throttled in some locations and they don't like the proposed contract, so they are back on the net neutrality bandwagon. Once they establish long term contracts with major ISPs, they'll be back to their old anti-competitive ways.

Throttle Washington

[labnet]

All they need to do, is throttle the entire Washington area to 256kbs for a few days.