The Google Seal of Approval

Put your hands together for Google’s attempt to making streaming HD video more streamy-er:

In an effort to increase transparency (and perhaps highlight your own service provider’s bandwidth limitations), Google’s making its Video Quality Report available in the US. The tool launched in Canada earlier this year, and should be making its way to other countries within the next few months, detailing streaming quality and local consumption trends, graphed by time of day. Google’s also endorsing certain providers as “HD Verified,” making it clear which ISPs meet YouTube’s standards, and which do not.

Say what you will about Google — and I usually do — but this program beats the heck out of anything the FCC might mandate, require, impose, regulate, fold, spindle, or mutilate.

Although while they’re trying to improve YouTube’s throughput, maybe Google could do something about YouTube’s craptaculent frontend.