In the next years, big US-owned streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ will be need to apply to UK regulators if they wish to continue delivering their services in the UK.
The UK recently stated that its new Media Bill will take effect in two years, and that streaming services will be regulated in the same way that local broadcasters are. Deadline reports that streaming services will have until 2026 to completely comply with the new laws.
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Under this legislation, US-owned streaming services could face a fine of up to $308,000 USD or be limited in the UK if they violate any of the UK’s harmful material restrictions, which have previously applied only local broadcasters.
Netflix and others have complained to the new guidelines, claiming they will limit their capacity to make documentaries available in the UK. Other corporations have vowed to remove certain content from the UK while they work to better grasp the new regulations.
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The exact impact of this new regulation on UK and US-based streaming services is uncertain. Will streaming services remove material or discontinue it altogether? How strict will the new restrictions be enforced?
The UK is not alone in its efforts to restrict streaming. There are numerous such initiatives in the United States and around the world. The FCC is pushing to treat live TV streaming businesses the same as cable TV companies. For the time being, all of those guidelines are a long way from being implemented.
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