Google is going after Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in its latest YouTube Video Quality Report. It is part of the company's continued battle over net neutrality and against the proposed "fast lanes" that would give larger media organizations the chance to pay for faster uploading speeds with ISPs across the Internet. The move has received much criticism in recent weeks and months that it would give the bigger, wealthier companies, an uneven playing field to have their content uploading at faster speeds than other smaller companies who are unable to afford to pay for quicker speeds.
The new report tool gives users the ability to check for the percentage of videos currently being streamed in high and standard definition, along with their speeds and also allows users to gauge how that activity has been performing over the past month, which is, in many ways, a slap in the face to those companies currently looking to have fast lanes with companies.
The move is largely being seen as a push against ISPs, who have for a while wanted to keep speeds and connectivity private in order to avoid controversy over their new fast lane agreements with companies.
Google said in a blog post that "starting today, if you're in the U.S., you can use the Google Video Quality Report to see the level of video quality your Internet Service Provider can play YouTube. If you're regularly seeing videos buffer, this report can give you a better idea of why, as well as tips to make YouTube play better."
But the next line in the post has many seeing it as an attack on ISPs and those controversial fast lanes.
"You can also see the video quality other ISPs in your area are delivering," the post read.
That should bring about frustration and anger from ISPs over the ability to track and determine if changing service providers might be in the best interest.
Net neutrality has become a tipping point in the tech and Internet world, with Google and Netflix leading the charge against so-called fast lanes and the two companies have been on the war path against the FCC's move to open up services such as fast lanes that would cater to the wealthier and larger companies who want to deliver faster services for their users.
Google has said that this will be the end of net neutrality as the world knows it and the Internet could become a place where the highest bidder and deepest pockets win out.
