NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Google shifts TV effort to YouTube (and more on Google TV blocking)
Google shifts TV effort to YouTube (and more on Google TV blocking)
http://bit.ly/dlVs1N (SFGate)
"Others argue that the media companies are drawing an arbitrary
line in the sand with Google TV, since consumers are already taking
advantage of free content online."
...
"Every month, millions of people are watching online video on their
television screens, simply by connecting their PC," said James
McQuivey, an analyst with Forrester Research. "Consumers have
already taken matters into their own hands."
- - -
As I suggested in "Users as Toast: The Blocking of Google TV"
( http://bit.ly/bRDkhO [Lauren's Blog] ), I consider the blocking of a
particular hardware platform by Internet video providers -- without
valid and legitimate technical reasons -- to be completely
indefensible.
While the focus of this behavior is end service providers rather than
ISPs, it clearly falls into the broader realm of Net Neutrality
concerns.
While treating potential viewers/customers with so little respect may
create pressure for short-term "piece of the action" agreements, in
the longer run I believe that these services are providing exactly the
kind of ammunition that the FCC (and/or in this case, perhaps the FTC)
could use to bring actions for discriminatory behaviors that would not
be tolerated in other facets of our technological lives.
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com)
http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
Co-Founder, PFIR (People For Internet Responsibility): http://www.pfir.org
Founder, NNSquad (Network Neutrality Squad): http://www.nnsquad.org
Founder, GCTIP (Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance):
http://www.gctip.org
Founder, PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Google Buzz: http://bit.ly/lauren-buzz