4 ms·

Why get paid once when you can get paid twice? This isn't about right, it's about might... let's see where this shakes out. The corporations have much more nati

by ponker 6y ago

Why get paid once when you can get paid twice? This isn't about right, it's about might... let's see where this shakes out. The corporations have much more national political power but the cities can run a backhoe through your fiber uplink and then say "oops." I don't think the outcome is at all guaranteed to come out in favor of the streaming services.

oarsinsync 6y ago
> but the cities can run a backhoe through your fiber uplink and then say "oops." Would me demanding money from you and, if you don’t pay, punch myself and your neighbour in the face, make you more or less likely to pay me? Netflix etc don’t own the last mile fiber. Cities taking out their own utilities impacts them, their residents, and the ISPs operating them. Hulu and Disney are none of those entities.
- ponker 6y ago
  If you think that malfeasance at the federal level is bad (and it is at a historically bad level right now), the local stuff is a thousand times worse. A local Indiana city will absolutely be able to completely fuck with Netflix access of their residents. And the residents may have little recourse. After all they could just legally implement a 100% sales tax on streaming services sold to residents of their jurisdiction.
  - oarsinsync 6y ago
    > A local Indiana city will absolutely be able to completely fuck with Netflix access of their residents ... they could just legally implement a 100% sales tax on streaming services sold to residents of their jurisdiction Population of local Indiana city as a % of Netflix global consumer base? What would Netflix's response likely be? > the residents may have little recourse What would you do if Netflix increased your subs, because your municipality told Netflix that they need to charge you 100% sales tax? What would you do if Netflix didn't even give you the option, and just cancelled your account for you, and gave you your local officials name, telephone, address and email?
    - rolph 6y ago
      >>What would you do if Netflix increased your subs, because your municipality told Netflix that they need to charge you 100% sales tax? What would you do if Netflix didn't even give you the option, and just cancelled your account for you, and gave you your local officials name, telephone, address and email?<< this would encourage me to find NETFLIX somewhere else
    - bagacrap 6y ago
      Where I live, all new taxes or tax hikes have to be approved by ballot measure. I believe it's true of the last place I lived as well (different state). So if you live somewhere that the government has the ability to unilaterally levy taxes and does not even pretend to act on the behalf of its constituency, I think the problem goes beyond Netflix.

by ponker 6y ago

oarsinsync 6y ago

> but the cities can run a backhoe through your fiber uplink and then say "oops." Would me demanding money from you and, if you don’t pay, punch myself and your neighbour in the face, make you more or less likely to pay me? Netflix etc don’t own the last mile fiber. Cities taking out their own utilities impacts them, their residents, and the ISPs operating them. Hulu and Disney are none of those entities.

ponker 6y ago
If you think that malfeasance at the federal level is bad (and it is at a historically bad level right now), the local stuff is a thousand times worse. A local Indiana city will absolutely be able to completely fuck with Netflix access of their residents. And the residents may have little recourse. After all they could just legally implement a 100% sales tax on streaming services sold to residents of their jurisdiction.
- oarsinsync 6y ago
  > A local Indiana city will absolutely be able to completely fuck with Netflix access of their residents ... they could just legally implement a 100% sales tax on streaming services sold to residents of their jurisdiction Population of local Indiana city as a % of Netflix global consumer base? What would Netflix's response likely be? > the residents may have little recourse What would you do if Netflix increased your subs, because your municipality told Netflix that they need to charge you 100% sales tax? What would you do if Netflix didn't even give you the option, and just cancelled your account for you, and gave you your local officials name, telephone, address and email?
  - rolph 6y ago
    >>What would you do if Netflix increased your subs, because your municipality told Netflix that they need to charge you 100% sales tax? What would you do if Netflix didn't even give you the option, and just cancelled your account for you, and gave you your local officials name, telephone, address and email?<< this would encourage me to find NETFLIX somewhere else
  - bagacrap 6y ago
    Where I live, all new taxes or tax hikes have to be approved by ballot measure. I believe it's true of the last place I lived as well (different state). So if you live somewhere that the government has the ability to unilaterally levy taxes and does not even pretend to act on the behalf of its constituency, I think the problem goes beyond Netflix.