Consumer groups and tech advocates have been voicing concern about the growing threats to net neutrality, but Hollywood — especially independent filmmakers and distributors — have plenty of reason to worry about the walls and toll booths being erected to discriminate between internet content.
Soon after Netflix reached a deal with Comcast to directly access its broadband network and thus make its service faster for the cable company’s customers, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings ripped into the “arbitrary tax” that the cable network forced his company to pay. He asked readers of a post on the streaming service’s site to “imagine the plight of smaller services today and in the future,” and looking downstream, there are plenty of outlets that specialize in independent film that have become endangered before they are established or even launch.