Comcast's Net Not Neutral
By Jon Bartholomew
Posted on Fri Oct 19, 2007 at 12:56:25 PM EST
This is what you get
if you try to use BitTorrent on Comcast
The Associated Press today broke a story proving that Comcast is not following Net Neutrality principles.
This case is specifically with a file sharing program called BitTorrent. If you are using BitTorrent, this is what happens if you are a Comcast subscriber, "Each PC gets a message invisible to the user that looks like it comes from the other computer, telling it to stop communicating. But neither message originated from the other computer -- it comes from Comcast. If it were a telephone conversation, it would be like the operator breaking into the conversation, telling each talker in the voice of the other: "Sorry, I have to hang up. Good bye.""
But why? And what else are they doing this to?
Without Net Neutrality laws, they could give preferential treatment to emails from one political viewpoint over another, certain websites wouldn't load as fast as others, and they could shut down access altogether to sites they don't like or don't pay them enough.
This latest revelation proves they are willing and able to do it.
In this case, they say they interfere with file sharing so as to keep the overall speed of the network up. But why not increase the overall speed of the network instead of blocking content? Why BitTorrent as opposed to another file sharing system? You can bet that if Comcast creates a file sharing program, that would NOT be interfered with.
It's not necessarily bad to prioritize entire types of usage over others, like emergency communications over email over websites over file sharing. However, Comcast is showing they are willing to decide which individual sites, services, etc will get through and which will not.
What is to stop Comcast from blocking access to Common Cause's website since we are critical of their practices? Nothing. Unless we enact Net Neutrality legislation.
Comcast says they have the right to do what they want on "their" network. But is it "their" network? Comcast and all the telecom companies are heavily subsidized by tax dollars for building out their networks; it was our universities, military, and government agencies that created the internet; they use public rights of way to run their wires across; and they are given monopoly powers by the public by way of franchise agreements so that they don't have competition.
In return for all we have given Comcast, the least they could do is not interfere with people trying to access any legal content they choose.
It comes down to this. Who decides? Comcast or you?
Tags: net neutrality, Comcast, cable, media and democracy, corporate accountabilty (all tags)
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