Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Comcast's blocking: first the Internet — now public debate

 
Cable provider Comcast was recently caught throttling consumer file-sharing using an approach that some term a "denial-of-service" attack. In other words, Comcast specifically squelched legal, online video sharing. Technology experts, including those involved in the creation of the Internet (no, not you, Al Gore) strongly oppose Comcast's tactics.

When the Beltway Insiders Club known as the FCC reluctantly became involved, it scheduled a public hearing. But rather than allow public debate, Comcast paid uninterested observers to fill the room. The general public, which had arrived 90 minutes ahead of time, was unable to attend the meeting.

Put simply, Comcast's paid seat-warmers had blocked the public, just as they blocked the legal use of BitTorrent and other applications. Did Comcast squelch BitTorrent in order to promote their own, "high-performing" video-on-demand services? That question has yet to be answered, but there's a certain whiff of rot in the air.



This is the Comcast's Internet without Network Neutrality

Watch the video, then go to Save the Internet and make your voice heard.

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