FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai understands that Netflix is all for strict regulation of ISPs to make sure it can stream its product to consumers. He wonders, however, why Netflix is not also in favor of open video standards.
The issue concerns Netflix encrypting its content in a way that defeats the use of open caching software from “…correctly identifying and caching Netflix traffic.”
Netflix told Pai that it adopted to practice not to impede the software but to protect the privacy of its users. Further, it said that allegations that it was deliberately targeting ISPs that adopted open caching were untrue.
It said it would provide evidence to back up that claim but after a month of waiting Pai received nothing, and upon inquiry, was denied information on which ISPs were targeted and when.
Pai hopes it will reconsider.
He concluded, “To be clear, I do not favor additional FCC regulation in this area. However, if a company asks the FCC to impose public utility-style regulation on every broadband provider in the country in the name of preserving the open Internet but then selectively targets open video standards to secure a competitive advantage over its rivals, it should be called to account.”
