Federal Government Blocks Streaming Sites for Public Servants Amid 'People Management' Concerns

Internal documents reveal that the Canadian government blocked streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on government networks due to concerns over "people management" rather than network strain. The decision was made by Shared Services Canada's president, Scott Jones, who argued that streaming was a distraction and could impact public perception of the public service. The move affected 45 government departments and agencies.

The Canadian government has blocked access to popular streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on its networks, citing concerns over "people management" rather than network strain. This decision, made by Shared Services Canada (SSC) and announced in December 2024, affected 45 government departments and agencies.

The move was prompted by internal documents obtained by CBC News, which revealed that SSC president Scott Jones argued that streaming services could be a distraction and negatively impact public perception of the public service. Jones, in an October 2024 email, stated that while streaming might ultimately affect bandwidth, it was more importantly a "people management" issue [1].

Despite the official statement from SSC indicating limited traffic to these sites, a report obtained through an access to information request showed significant streaming activity, particularly within departments such as the Department of National Defence and Public Services and Procurement Canada [2]. The report detailed that the streaming volume was relatively low, with the highest monthly streaming volume being over three terabytes for the Department of National Defence [3].

Cybersecurity expert Eric Parent noted that the volume of data alone does not fully capture the extent of the issue, as it does not account for the number of users and their active streaming time [1]. This discrepancy between the official statement and the actual data usage highlights the complexity of managing digital resources within a large organization.

The decision to block streaming services has drawn attention to the balance between technological efficiency and public service management. As the government continues to navigate the digital landscape, it will be crucial to find solutions that address both technical and administrative concerns.

References:
[1] https://ca.news.yahoo.com/government-blocked-streaming-sites-public-080000174.html
[2] https://www.tradingview.com/news/tradingview:18025cb90d463:0-netflix-inc-sec-10-q-report/
[3] https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/netflix-block-government-1.7585627