Corona crisis: Amazon lowers data

After Netflix and Youtube, Amazon Prime Video is now following the publicly expressed request by EU Commissioner Thievery Breton and reducing the video resolution of his service.

Politicians "convince" companies

As is so often the case when politicians say something, the topic was discussed in public and the fears suddenly seemed plausible. It did not help that proven experts such as the head of technology at the world's largest internet node, DE-CIX, explicitly made it clear that they had sufficient reserve capacity.

In the meantime, Breton had personally called the head of Netflix and reminded him of his responsibility for the continued access to the network for everyone. Accordingly, Netflix was the first streaming service to deactivate its HD streams for Europe and to only broadcast in standard resolution for 30 days .

Youtube also buckled in front of Breton, but not without pointing out that the measure was basically not necessary because the platform automatically reacted to bandwidth conditions and so far it could not be spoken of peak loads. The company did not want any trouble with the EU Commission. Now only standard is delivered as standard , whereby customers obviously can still select higher resolutions. The measure should also remain effective on YouTube for 30 days.

Amazon is now following suit , stating that "if necessary, we work with local authorities and Internet service providers to help eliminate network congestion". That is why the service in Europe has already started to reduce the streaming bit rates.

The business insider took the step to ask other streaming providers about the current state of affairs. Sky and Joyn were probably more confident. Neither want to join the reduction in bandwidth according to Bretons' taste.

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung in turn asked the Federal Network Agency whether there was any legal possibility to restrict or block Internet service providers if necessary. The company announced that the principle of network neutrality applies in Germany, which stipulates that all content should be routed through the cables in an equivalent manner.

However, exceptions are possible. This requires an "order by legal regulation, court or authority" and may only "to protect network integrity and security and to prevent impending or mitigation of unusual or temporary network congestion".