streaming

For years consumers have watched videotapes, DVDs, and now digital movies as they see fit. But now a filtering enabled video streaming service would seek to upset that balance just so it can use other’s property without permission to make money. 

Last month, consumers in Pennsylvania got a nasty surprise when they opened their bills for streaming-media services, such as Netflix, thanks to Keystone State lawmakers’ obsession with tax-and-spend policies.

In today’s edition of The Heartland Daily Podcast, managing editor Jesse Hathaway talks with Berin Szoka, president of TechFreedom, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting the progress of technology that improves the human condition, about how regulators both at home and abroad are using the power of the state to combat zero-rating, a kind of sponsored-data plan where access to popular web applications like Facebook or streaming video services is made available to consumer at no cost.

Chicago’s Netflix tax took effect on September 1st and already Chicagoans are seeing the ill effects. Nine plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit challenging Chicago’s authority to tax a streaming Internet service with the 9% surcharge it typically reserves to other forms of entertainment.

In today’s edition of The Heartland Daily Podcast, Director of Communications Jim Lakely speaks with Seton Motley, President of Less Government. Motley and Lakely talk about the pending lawsuit between Disney and Verizon.

Hot on the heels of the announcement of a new streaming service from cable channel HBO (reported here last week), broadcast TV giant CBS has begun a standalone streaming service to deliver CBS programming.

Freedom wins in battle to control the ’Net.