Federal employees across various departments streamed terabytes of content from platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ while at work, leading to a government-wide ban on these services. Internal documents reveal that Shared Services Canada (SSC), the agency managing federal IT infrastructure, implemented the ban in late 2024, affecting 45 government departments and agencies. The decision was primarily driven by concerns over "people management" and public perception, rather than network capacity issues, as initially suggested.
Recent disclosures highlight substantial data consumption, aligning with observations such as Candice Malcolm's tweet: > "Federal employees streamed terabytes of Netflix while at work." The Privy Council Office alone accounted for approximately 1.5 terabytes of streaming data. Other significant users included Global Affairs Canada, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (East), and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, each reporting around 0.75 terabytes, while the Department of National Defence led all agencies with over 3 terabytes recorded on government networks.
Shared Services Canada officially blocked access to a wide array of major paid streaming services, including Hulu, Apple TV+, and Crave, alongside Netflix and Prime Video. An email notification about the impending ban was sent to some federal employees in mid-November, ahead of its December 2024 implementation. SSC explicitly stated that these platforms had "no business value" in a professional work environment, reinforcing the rationale behind the restriction.
According to internal government emails obtained by CBC News, the decision to block streaming was rooted in the perception that it "looks bad" and constitutes a "people management issue." Cybersecurity expert Eric Parent commented on the data, suggesting that while volumes are presented, the full picture is missing without metrics on how many users were actively streaming and for how long. With Canada employing over 357,000 federal government employees, the collective impact of such activities became a significant concern for officials.