Tuesday, March 29

Netflix should be investigated for throttling itself, FCC Republican says

FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly speaking at the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference in 2015. (credit: United States Mission Geneva)

A Republican member of the Federal Communications Commission wants multiple investigations into Netflix because of the online video provider's admission that it throttles its video streams on mobile networks.

The FCC, the Federal Trade Commission, and Congress should all investigate, FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly said in a speech today in front of the American Action Forum, a policy research institute. O'Rielly is not impressed by Netflix's argument that it only reduces video quality to help its customers stay under mobile data caps.

"Netflix has attempted to paint a picture of altruism whereby it virtuously sought to save these consumers from bumping up against or exceeding their data caps," O'Rielly said. "There is no way to sugarcoat it: the news is deeply disturbing and justly generates calls for government—and maybe even Congressional—investigation."

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