Netflix, Disney and other major streaming companies have formed a new trade coalition to fight back against regulators
Apple and Amazon have not yet joined the group.
The Streaming Innovation Alliance (SIA) is a new coalition formed by the largest streaming companies to address current and future government regulatory issues related to streaming on their behalf.
In addition to Netflix and Disney, the alliance includes Paramount Plus, Warner Bros. Discovery Max, Peacock, TelevisaUnivision, and some small streaming services such as For Us By Us Network, Vault, and AfroLandTV. Other services, such as Pluto and Hulu, are already owned by Paramount and Disney, so they will also be presented here.
Axios notes that Apple, Amazon, Roku, and Tubi are not currently part of this group.
The alliance was partially led by Charles Rivkin, CEO of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), which Netflix joined in 2019. The streaming industry has left the Internet Association, a broader trade group representing major tech companies like Google and Amazon, but cannot help streamers fighting over intellectual property (and in some cases may have conflicts with them). However, the MPA, while useful in the field of copyright, is not so nimble in the technological aspect.
In general, streaming is currently in an uncertain position where it may also be drawn into legislation that targets other aspects of the Internet (including the Children’s Internet Safety Act, with worrying privacy implications). Streaming companies believe that the legislation is too broad and unjustifiably conflates companies that distribute selected and verified content with social media platforms.
The SIA signaled the start of its work by releasing a new poll on Tuesday that found registered voters “lean toward streaming innovation and are cautious about proposals to regulate the market,” such as requiring services to collect more user data.
