Netflix argues against Missouri classification; SpaceX sending mystery man – or woman – to the moon; SnapChat bringing “Our Stories” to the newsroom
Netflix Says It’s Not a Video Service Provider
Netflix Inc., which has offices in Hollywood, told a court in Missouri on Sept. 13 that it is “not a video service provider because it does not provide video service,” the company’s answer to Missouri’s franchise fees collected from video service providers. Netflix said it’s exempt from the fees because it offers services and content over the public internet. The Missouri decision could impact how Netflix is classified in other states, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
SpaceX Sending Private Passenger Around the Moon?
In a series of cryptic tweets, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. announced Sept. 13 it plans to send a yet-unidentified passenger around the moon on a Big Falcon Rocket’s second-stage spaceship (BFS). The passenger – and why they are journeying to the moon – will be revealed on Sept. 17, according to ArsTechnica. This proposed lunar orbit could be extra practice for meeting SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk’s lofty goal of sending two BFS spaceships on a Big Falcon Rocket to Mars by 2022.
SnapChat Expands ‘Our Stories’
Major newsrooms and media companies can now draw from publicly submitted user videos to create their own Snapchat stories, thanks to a new app adjustment by Snap Inc. Deadline reports Snapchat will now release this tool to nearly 20 users, including CNN and NBC News, as well as Overtime, The Infatuation, and Hearst Media Corp. The “Our Stories” debuted in 2015 as a way for communities to tell stories via the app in an aggregated place. Snap reports in the past month, an average 75 million users watch “Our Story” content.
