Net Neutrality Report Claims ISPs, Carriers Are Throttling Video Traffic

Net Neutrality Report Claims ISPs, Carriers Are Throttling Video Traffic

LOS ANGELES — The discussion over Net Neutrality is heating up as a recent report reveals that some U.S. wireless carriers are actively throttling consumers’ access to popular streaming services such as Netflix and YouTube — and you can bet that porn sites are being slowed as well.

Published by a group of researchers from Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the report, “A Large-Scale Analysis of Deployed Traffic Differentiation Practices,” revealed that from 2018 to 2019, major carriers throttled video streams “all the time.”

The test involved 1,045,413 crowdsourced measurements gleaned from 126,249 users of the Wehe app, which monitors data speeds, revealing how much a carrier is throttling or accelerating the availability of services, helping guide consumers to the carrier they wish to use in the future. The app’s users spanned 2,735 ISPs in 183 countries for a comprehensive sample.

Among the findings, AT&T slowed access to Netflix 70 percent of the time and to YouTube 74 percent of the time, while leaving Amazon Prime Video unthrottled. T-Mobile wasn’t as kind to Amazon, slowing its Prime Video 51 percent of the time while protecting Skype streams and only grazing Vimeo’s throughput.

“They are doing it all the time, 24/7,” stated report co-author David Choffnes, “and it’s not based on networks being overloaded.”

This raises the question of preferential treatment; and while carriers may claim they are not throttling a specific service and rather slowing down all services in response to peak-time increases in consumer demand, the stats are showing otherwise.

Regardless of any actual data to support the presumption, it’s quite likely that if access to major mainstream video services is being restricted by carriers, then your porn is being slowed, too. It is all part of the predicted unsustainability of the current online video ecosystem, which has grown so vast as to be labeled an environmental risk.

View Full Report

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

2025 XBIZ Amsterdam Website Launches With Call for Speakers

XBIZ is pleased to announce that the website for its annual European conference, XBIZ Amsterdam, is now live.

NC Governor Vetoes Bill Targeting Adult, Could Face Override

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein today vetoed a bill imposing new regulations that adult industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

25,000 Sign Petition to Legalize Pornography in Ukraine

An OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine has amassed the 25,000 signatures required for official consideration by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

WannaCollab Joins Pineapple Support as Supporter-Level Sponsor

WannaCollab has joined the ranks of over 70 adult businesses and organizations committing funds and resources to Pineapple Support.

FSC Unpacks SCOTUS Age Verification Ruling in Webinar

The Free Speech Coalition conducted a public webinar Tuesday to help adult industry stakeholders understand the Supreme Court’s recent decision in FSC v. Paxton, and its potential implications.

UK Lawmaker Calls for Appointment of 'Porn Minister'

Baroness Gabrielle Bertin, the Conservative member of Parliament who recently convened a new anti-pornography task force, is calling for the appointment of a “minister for porn,” according to British news outlet The Guardian.

FSC Toasts Jeffrey Douglas for 30 Years of Service

n the very same evening when the adult industry was hit hard by the Supreme Court ruling supporting Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181, members of the Free Speech Coalition board, staff and supporters gathered to celebrate Jeffrey Douglas’ 30 years as board chair — a fitting reflection of his reputation as an eternal optimist.

TTS Opens UK Testing Location

Talent Testing Service (TTS) has opened a new U.K. location in Ware, Hertfordshire.

FSC: Age-Verification Laws Go Into Effect in South Dakota, Georgia, Wyoming on July 1

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has published a statement regarding new age verification laws set to go into effect tomorrow in South Dakota, Georgia, and Wyoming.

FSC Responds to Supreme Court Decision on Texas AV Law

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) has released a statement responding to last week's Supreme Court decision on FSC v. Paxton, the Texas age verification law.

Show More