Why Netflix isn’t worried about GOP plans to weaken network neutrality

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the Oval Office, one high-profile tech issue that many analysts are watching is network neutrality. Republicans are widely expected to seek changes to the rules, which currently bar Internet providers from slowing down websites they don't like or speeding up others in exchange for payment. But one staunch backer of the rules isn't too worried about the impending rollback, and that's Netflix. It believes it's become so big that any changes to the net neutrality rules aren't likely to affect its business much at all.

“Weakening of US Net neutrality laws, should that occur, is unlikely to materially affect our domestic margins or service quality because we are now popular enough with consumers to keep our relationships with ISPs stable,” the company wrote. “We hope the new U.S. administration and Congress will recognize that keeping the network neutral drives job growth and innovation,” the letter reads. “It's understandable that people describe this as Comcast versus Netflix,” said Matt Wood, policy director of the consumer group Free Press. But, he said, “We [are] concerned about the next innovative company that doesn't have the ability to buy itself out of trouble.”