|
Cybertelecom Federal Internet Law & Policy An Educational Project |
|
NN :: Blocking or Discriminatory Examples | |
|
|
- Competition
- Anti Trust
- Terminating Monopoly
- Natural Monopoly
- Government Sanctioned Monopoly
- Agreements not to complete
- Treaty of Six Nations (competition is inefficient)
- AT&T / Western Union
- Kingsbury Accord / Govt Sanctioned Monopoly
- Telecom Act of 1996
- Barriers to Market Entry
- Rent Seeking
- Carrier Policies
- Discriminatory Rates
- AUPs
- Disclosures / Transparency about what is available and what is blocked
- Tethering
- Capacity
- Interconnection
- Interconnection Devices
- Congestion
- Promised versus Delivered
- Measuring Broadband America
- NYAG v Charter / Time Warner Cable
- Over Subscription
- Tiers
- Data Caps / Zero Rating
- Throttling
- Blocking Services, Applications, Content
- Services
- Applications
- Content
- Newspapers, by the Crown's Postal Service ?
- Independent News, by Western Union / Associated Press?
- Advertisements
- Copyright
- Websites
- Messaging Services
- Traffic Redirection
- Spam
- Filtering
- Priority
- Best Effort Internet
- Telegraph - First in First Out
- Security
Carrier Policies
Different Rates for Different Customers
- AT&T Accunet packet switching service was forced to withdraw from service in 1985 when the FCC found that it improperly favored AT&T Information Service over all other customers.
AUPs
- Note that AUPs generally prohibit more activity than merely what is illegal. You may see an AUP say that "inappropriate content" or harassment is prohibited.
- RCN FAQ
- Comcast TOS
- § 6(c) Service may only be used by members of the household living at your address (this would exclude a friend or guest).
- § 6(g) Subscribers acknowledge that Comcast can monitor all of subscribers transmissions
- Verizon : Terms of Service Attachment A 3. "You may NOT use the Service as follows: .... (j) to damage the name or reputation of Verizon, its parent, affiliates and subsidiaries, or any third parties; "
- AT&T : Terms of Service: AT&T may suspend your account and all service "for conduct that AT&T believes"..."(c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries." See ACLU Network Neutrality 101, 2010
Disclosures / Transparency
Data Caps / Zero Rating
Equal Use
"The telegraph companies had an anti-monopoly regulation, that one party could not use the wires for more than ten minutes at a time. " 1840s [Branch p. 22]
"Unlimited"
- 3G / EVDO Wireless Internet providers have marketed their services as "unlimited." However, it is reported that wireless 3G / EVDO providers have terminated contracts of customers who have used too much broadband.
Tethering
- Verizon can no longer Charge for Tethering, FCC Declares, TechCrunch July 12, 2012
- FCC Slaps Verizon with $1.25 Million Fine for Blocking Tethering Apps, The Hill July 31, 2012 ("In 2008, when Verizon bought the licenses to the wireless frequencies that it now uses for its 4G service, the FCC imposed rules barring the company from restricting its customers' ability to use the devices or apps of their choosing. The rules only apply to Verizon and not other wireless carriers.")
- Tethering Apps Must Be Allowed, FCC Tells Verizon, Ars Technica July 31, 2012
- FCC to Verizon: Dont Block Tethering Apps. Verizon Settles for $1.25 Million, Gigaom, July 31, 2012 ("Verizon(s vz)(s vod) customers will soon have the option of downloading Android(s goog) apps that let them turn their phone into a mobile hotspot —apps that Verizon blocked initially because it didn’t want customers circumventing its $20 a month mobile hot spot fee. The FCC has determined that nation’s largest wireless carrier was in the wrong in this situation because it had purchased spectrum back in 2008 that required Verizon to allow open access to its network.")
Virtual Private Networks VPN See Crypto
- One cable company to rule them all Salon 2004 ("Comcast has already demonstrated a willingness to circumscribe what customers do online. It has not only attacked high-use customers but, in the past, has also curbed virtual private networks (a popular way for corporations to integrate telecommuters into the company intranet) and, according to some customers, has limited traffic on Usenet, the oldest (and most unregulated) of all the Net's discussion forums. The company's terms of service also prohibit users from running file-sharing applications (among other things), and it has a less-than-clear policy on whether running a Wi-Fi network in your house is OK.")
- Comcast to FCC: Virtual Private Nets are OK. (Policy). Looksmark March 2003
- Cable Firms Faulted For Restrictions On Internet Service Washington Post June 2002 ("In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, the companies say that in the subscriber agreements of major cable Internet providers, there are prohibitions on the use of private corporate networks that allow employees to work from home; restrictions on adding hardware such as servers and game boxes to the networks; and clauses that reserve the right to restrict access to certain bandwidth-intensive sites, such as those for online gambling.")
- Cable Net Users Feel Squeezed, Wired Aug 2000
- Customers blast Comcast move to foil bandwidth hogs CNET Aug 2000
Domain Names
- Verizon bought Yahoo, so Flickr and Tumblr users with AT&T email addresses are being cut off, Boing Boing 2017
- NXDomain Redirection
- Is DNS Redirection a Network Neutrality Violation? - As usual, it depends who you ask...., DSLreports 11/20/2007
- Time Warner Cable Joins the DNS Redirection Bandwagon, CircleID 11/13/2007
- Verizon Violates Net Neutrality with DNS Deviations, Freedom to Tinker 11/13/2007
- Verizon DNS Redirection 'Service' Spreads - Consumer Affairs: Is this a network neutrality violation?, DSLreports 11/8/2007
- Windstream DNS redirection, DSL Reports Jan. 11, 2008
- Investigating End-To-End Integrity Violations in Internet Traffic Alan Mislove, Northeastern University, David Choffnes, Northeastern University, Taejoong Chung*, Northeastern University TPRC 2017
For a period in the 1990s, Network Solutions, the sole domain name registrar for dot com operating pursuant to US government contract, adopted a policy that certain words could not be registered as domain names. See DNS History. This resulted in some weird results where shit.com had been registered but shitakemushroom.com could not be registered. Network Solutions also sought to implement a policy that would prevent the registration of domain names that might bother trademark owners.
"In 1908 AT&T gained control of Western Union. This proved beneficial to Western Union, because the companies were able to share lines when needed, and it became possible to order telegrams by telephone. However, it was only possible to order Western Union telegrams, and this hurt the business of Western Union's main competitor, the Postal Telegraph Company. In 1913, however, as part of a move to prevent the government from invoking antitrust laws, AT&T completely separated itself from Western Union."[Smithsonian]
VoIP
Video
- P2P / Bittorrent
- See Streaming Media
- Throttling Video over Mobile Data Netwporks
- T-Mobile Binge On. (“FREE to stream unlimited video on your favorite services… Detectable video typically streams at DVD quality (480p+) with Binge On unless video provider opts-out”)
- Google transmits at 360 p by default for T Mobile.
- Adam Levy, Look How Smart T-Mobile’s Binge On Is, THE MOTLEY FOOL (Jan. 27, 2016)
- AT&T Stream Saver
- Some networks, for example EVDO networks, reportedly ban streaming media over their networks.
- Michael Powell, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished—Washington Advocacy Run Amok, NCTA (Mar. 28, 2012)x.
- See also Interconnection Disputes between BIAS Providers and Netflix where streaming video was degraded to the point of being unusable
- Jon Brodkin, Verizon Accused of Throttling Netflix and Youtube, admits to "video optimization," Ars Technica July 21, 2017 ("Verizon Wireless customers this week noticed that Netflix's speed test tool appears to be capped at 10Mbps, raising fears that the carrier is throttling video streaming on its mobile network.")
- Russell Brandom, Verizon Admits to Throttling Video in Apparent Violation of Network Neutrality, The Verge July 21, 2017 (“We've been doing network testing over the past few days to optimize the performance of video applications on our network," a Verizon Wireless spokesperson said. “The testing should be completed shortly. The customer video experience was not affected.”)
- Ryan Singel, Accused of Violating Net Neutrality, MetroPCS Sues FCC, WIRED Jan. 25, 2011("MetroPCS, the fifth largest U.S. wireless carrier, has already been accused of violating the new rules, which largely prohibit wireless carriers from blocking websites or prohibiting customers from using VoIP services like Skype. The company, which specializes in pay-as-you-go plans, does both with its new 4G plans that block streaming video except for YouTube.")
- Ryan Single, MetroPCS 4G Data-Blocking Plans May Violate Net Neutrality, WIRED Jan. 7, 2011 ("MetroPCS, the nation’s fifth largest mobile carrier, announced earlier this week it was offering new pay-as-you-go mobile data plans for its 4G network that would block online video streaming — except for YouTube — for its lowest level plan, and block the use of internet phone-calling apps for all plans.")
Peer to Peer
- Litigations
- Comcast BitTorrent
- Fink v. Time Warner Cable, Dist. Court, SD New York 2011: Plaintiffs Jessica Fink ("Fink") and Brett Noia ("Noia") (collectively, "Plaintiffs") bring this putative nationwide class action pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1030, asserting claims for violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (the "CFAA") against Defendant Time Warner Cable ("Defendant"). Plaintiffs allege principally that Defendant wrongfully limits Plaintiffs' use of certain peer-to-peer applications without authorization and thereby causes damage to Plaintiffs' computers. Plaintiffs also assert various state law claims stemming from alleged misrepresentations by Defendant concerning the nature and quality of its internet service.
- Rogers and P2P
- Rogers Throttling Deprioritizing World of Warcraft, Roberts Community Forums, Jan. 17, 2015
- Letter from Andrea Rosen, Chief Compliance and Enforcement Officer, CRTC, to Ken Engelhart, Senior Vice President Regulatory, Rogers Communicstions, Feb. 29, 2012
- Rogers Vows to End Internet Throttling in 2012, Globe and Mail, Feb. 3, 2012 ("In January, the CRTC's enforcement arm disclosed the preliminary results of an investigation into Rogers' Internet management practices. That case is based on a complaint from the Canadian Gamers Organization that Rogers allegedly throttles, or slows, popular online games such as World of Warcraft, in violation of the telecom regulator's guidelines.")
- CRTC Investigation Finds Rogers Violated Net Neutrality Rules, Michael Geist, Jan. 20, 2012
- CRTC Says Rogers Not Complying with Net Neutrality Disclosure Requirements, Michael Geist Jan. 14, 2011("Staff consider that in order to comply with TRP 2009-657, the discussion in the page titled Legal Disclaimer and the detailed discussion available on the network management policy web page should indicate that there are circumstances whereby the Rogers ITMP will also affect download speeds available to subscribers. Further, the detailed discussion on the network management policy page should clearly indicate which download applications might be affected in these circumstances and to what degree (i.e., the impact on download speeds should be indicated).")
- Rogers Fights Bit Torrent by Throttling All Encrypted Transfers, Torrent Freak April 11, 2007
- The Unintended Consequenses of Rogers' Packet Shaping, Michael Geist April 5, 2007
- Rogers Bit Torrent Cat & Mouse, DSL Reports Feb. 9, 2006 ("Canadian providers Shaw and Rogers have been using packet shaping technology to throttle Bit Torrent users. ")
- Papers
- Glasnost: Results from tests for BitTorrent traffic blocking. (" Almost 100,000 users from locations around the world have used our tool, Glasnost, to test whether their BitTorrent traffic is being manipulated. On this page, we present preliminary results from these tests. The tests were conducted between March 18th, 2008 and January 27th, 2009. ")
- News
- CRTC's Net Neutrality Rules in Action: Bell to Drop P2P Traffic Shaping, Michael Geist Dec. 20, 2011
- AT&T blocks image-sharing site, sparks net neutrality row, CW 7/27/2009
- AT&T Block of 4chan Raises a Ruckus, Internet News 7/27/2009
- Outlawed at Ohio U: P2P file sharing, CNET 4/27/2007
- Campus P2P & Bandwidth Still Hot Issue - Throttling, blocking, and/or legit alternatives, Broadband Reports 4/14/2006
- One cable company to rule them all Salon 2004 (Comcast ... The company's terms of service also prohibit users from running file-sharing applications (among other things))
- University Gets Tough On P2P InternetWeek Feb 2004 ("Campus residents can no longer use Kazaa, Morpheus or any other P2P (peer-to-peer) file-sharing software to download music, movies or software applications. The free lunch ended abruptly at the beginning of the 2003-04 school year, when network administrators working in the campus housing unit turned on software they developed that not only detects illicit network activity but also dynamically enforces acceptable-use policies without IT intervention.")
- Katie Dean, "Florida Dorms Lock Out P2P Users," Wired News, Oct. 3, 2003
- Denmark Tells ISP It Must Block Allofmp3.com, Techdirt 10/26/2006
- MIT shuts alternative file-swapping, CNN 11/5/2003
"Cingular blocked PayPal after contracting with another online payment service called Direct Bill. Cingular made its discriminatory motives apparent in a leaked memo that stated, “Please be aware that Cingular customers should always and only be offered the Direct Bill option for payment of content and/or services. Any programs that offer PayPal and/or credit card options to Cingular Wireless customers will be escalated and reviewed by Cingular Wireless for possible immediate shut off.”" ACLU Network Neutrality 101 2010 Citing Scott Smith, Cingular Playing Tough on Content Payments , The Mobile Weblog, July 7, 2006, .
- David Ruddock, A Brief History Of Verizon And Google Wallet, And Why The Carrier Is Still Allowed To “Block” It, Android Police (May 1, 2013)
- Greg Sterling, Verizon Blocks Google Wallet, AT&T Likely To Do The Same, Search Engine Land (Dec. 6, 2011)
- Steve Kovach, Is Google Wallet Going To Die Before It Even Has A Chance? Business Insider, Dec. 6, 2011
- David Goldman, Verizon blocks Google Wallet, CNN Money Dec. 6, 2011
Tethering
- Matthew Lazar, Against the rules? No 4G tethering apps for Verizon phones, Ars Technica June 6, 2011
- Cecilia Kang, FCC fines Verizon $1.25M for blocking tethering apps, WAPO July 31, 2012 ("In a 10-month investigation, the FCC found that Verizon, the nation’s largest wireless network, asked Google to remove 11 applications in the Android marketplace that were being used to circumvent Verizon’s $20 tethering charge. Tethering is the practice of using a device such as a smartphone or laptop as a modem to obtain Internet access for additional devices.")
Historically, the incumbent telephone companies refused to allow third parties to attach equipment to their networks. This equipment attached by the customer at home is known as Customer Premises Equipment. One fellow invented a little plastic scoop called a Hush-a-Phone, which attached to the handset of a phone, that would in effect make the conversation more private. AT&T said this piece of plastic would harm the network and in the 1940s sued. The DC Circuit Court rules that individuals AT&T could not prohibit Hush-a-Phone attachments. Hush-a-Phone was a non-electrical attachment to the network. In Carterfone, the FCC would conclude that AT&T could not discriminate against and prohibit the electrical attachments as well (this would come to be crucial for modems). See CPE page for greater detail.
A new discussion is forming over the ability to apply Carterphone to wireless devices; in other words, the ability to attach any device (hard or soft) at the end of the telecommunications line as authorized pursuant to Carterphone and Part 68.
Wifi Access Points
For a time, it appeared that the attachment of a WiFi Access Point to a network would violate that network's AUP.
- Everybody Else Is Sharing Wi-Fi, So Why Can't We? Boston Globe July 2004
- One cable company to rule them all Salon 2004 (Comcast... has a less-than-clear policy on whether running a Wi-Fi network in your house is OK.)
- Speakeasy Wifi NetShare service
- NANs: Borrow a Cup of Wireless Broadband? WifiPlanet July 2002
- RCN FAQ 1(x) Theft of Service "The Access Service may not be used to facilitate or operate as an Internet Service Provider, “Wi-Fi” network or “hot-spot”, and you further agree not to distribute, resell, share or otherwise allow others to utilize the Access Service, either free of charge or for consideration."
- Quickbase Wifi Friendly?
- Note: P2P applications turn computers into servers in order to host content. Those the use of P2P applications potentially would violate these provisions.
- Cable Firms Faulted For Restrictions On Internet Service Washington Post June 2002 ("In a filing with the Federal Communications Commission, the companies say that in the subscriber agreements of major cable Internet providers, there are prohibitions on the use of private corporate networks that allow employees to work from home; restrictions on adding hardware such as servers and game boxes to the networks; and clauses that reserve the right to restrict access to certain bandwidth-intensive sites, such as those for online gambling.")
- The inside skinny on cable ZDNet ("Most cable agreements prohibit running a Web server from your end of your high-speed line")
- Broadband; New Media, Act on Vision
- COMCAST Terms of Service § 5(b) Prohibition against operating a server
See network history of blocking content including Western Unions agreement with Associated Press to block any independent news services, it influence over the election of 1867, and its alliance with Lincoln's Republican Party.
Internet Filtering (for copyrighted material)
- AT&T has announced that it is exploring filtering of its network for infringing content (particularly P2P).
- Record labels complain that privacy is "devastating the industry." Filtering is *a* solution. Operations automatically and anonymously. Filters can be placed in applications, on end users computer. If you want to hear it, filter would prevent it even after it is decrypted. This could be put in the modem. Referenced User Generated Content Principles. In response to U2 Manager comments, indicates that we are looking for a market place solution over a legislative solution. This is a business problem for network service providers that hurts networks and users. [RIAA Cary Sherman Internet Caucus State of the Net 2008]
- Filtering limits free speech. Inspecting every single packet to look for copyright; there is a privacy aspect to this. The record companies need to make their content widely, flexibly and at a reasonable price. There are a number of positive models like live.fm - different models that people are experimenting with. The possibility of paying ISPs a licensing fee so that users can download all they want. Education should include not only what is infringing but also rights under fair use. DMCA and CDA protections is premised on the OSP not messing with the traffic. A neutral pipe. Once an OSP starts deep packet inspection, starts acting as a publisher, then you lose your DMCA and CDA protections. Telephone companies want to have it both ways. We like DMCA immunity. But you cant both be and not be the dumb pipe. Bono Mack talked about 80% of net traffic is P2P; a lot of that P2P traffic is legitimate traffic. The use of copyright to block speech is a free speech issue with government action. The largely point - this is the way that people are communicating today. See new document Fair Use Principles for User Generated Content, PK [Gigi Sohn Net Caucus State of the Net 2008]
- Tech is very good at determining whether two pieces of content is identical; technology is very bad at determining whether content is infringing or fair use. Therefore connect human review with technology reviews. Have not seen a lot of user disputes yet but a lot of rights owners are partnering and monetizing, allowing their content to stay on the site. Issue of fair use getting block. [Mia Garlick, YouTube (Google)Net Caucus State Net 2008]
- Vast majority of music collections are built based on passing around and ripping CDs; therefore filtering would be ineffective. Cost: things that no one intends to block gets block. Ex/ use of bittorrent to distribute software by software company. Need human intervention to correct overbreadth of technology. RIAA DMCA complaints tend to be very accurate. Other agencies tend to be notoriously inaccurate or difficult. NBC complaints are very difficult to respond to. Costs $100-$200k to respond to this. But it is a reasonable balance. DMCA notices is reasonable. [Greg Jackson, University of Chicago, Net Caucus State of Net 2008]
- See ACLU Network Neutrality 101, 2010 "In January 2008, AT&T announced that it was considering installing a copyright filter on its subscribers’ broadband connections. Filtering technology would permit AT&T to examine all of its users’ transmissions, facilitating the company’s ability to search and block digital transfers under the pretext of pre - venting the dissemination of pirated materials."
- Verizon Exec: We Don't Want to Police Content, IP Democracy 2/1/2008
- 2008: The Battle For ISP Piracy Filters - AT&T is up for it...which ISP is next?, dslreports 1/24/2008
- Free Speech and Net Neutrality: Separating Fact from Fiction, ACLU 1/24/2008
- AT&T Filtering: Has Tim Wu Not Been Paying Attention?, Peerflow 1/22/2008
- Why AT&T's Plans To Filter The Internet Will Only Do More Harm To AT&T (And Everyone Else), Techdirt 1/22/2008
- 3 Things on AT&T's Proposed Net Filtering Plan, EFF 1/22/2008
- NBC Universal Explains Why ISPs Should Filter Copyrighted Works, Techdirt 1/17/2008
- Is AT&T Siding With NBC To Get Rid Of Neutrality?, Techdirt 1/11/2008
Content :: Advertisements
- In May 2008, Charter Communications announced that it would monitor the internet traffic of its subscribers for the purpose of serving relevant advertising to those customers, increasing revenue to Charter, and bringing down prices to the customer. [See Charter Communications, Enhanced Online Experience: Frequently Asked Questions]
- Rogers Back To Inserting Its Messages Onto Others' Websites, Techdirt 6/30/2009
- Cable Giants Refuse to Sell Ads to Internet Competitors NYTimes 2001
- ISPs complain they're shut out of cable ads | CNET News.com 2001
- Cablevision Says No to Pro-Stadium Ads, and Jets Say That Isn't Fair (NY Times) 3.8.2005
- Time Warner Denies Advertising To Regional ISPs ISP Planet 2000
- Gmail Advertising
- Google's Gmail: spook heaven? The Register (June 15 2004)
- Links
Websites
- Comcast tries to censor pro-net neutrality website calling for investigation of fake FCC comments potentially funded by cable lobby, Fight for the Future May 23, 2017 ("claims that Comcastroturf.com violates the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act and infringes on Comcast’s trademarks")
- Korean Internet TV battle turns ugly, ITNews Nov 6, 2006 (rival Korean ISPs reportedly block access to HanaroTV)
- ACA Condemns Viacom For Retaliatory Website Blocking Against Small Cable Broadband Providers May 6, 2014
Telus v Voices for Change
- Telus removes blocking from VFC website, Voices for Change Aug 8, 2005
- Telus Blocks Consumer Access to Labour Union Web Site and Filters an Additional 766 Unrelated Sites, OpenNet Initiative Aug 2, 2005
- Telus Breaks Net Provider Cardinal Rule, Michael Giest Aug 1, 2005
- Phone company blocks access to telecom union's website, Boing Boing July 24, 2005
- TELUS censors customers by denying access to Voices for Change, Voices for Change July 23, 2005
- Telus cuts subscribers access to pro-union website, CBC News July 24, 2005
Craigslist
- Resolution from Cox and Authentium re Craigslist Blocking, Craigslist 6/21/2006
- Craigslist is Being Blocked by Cox Interactive, Silicon Valley Watcher 6/9/2006
FCC Commish Michael Copps on Pearl Jam
- Jamming the Pearl, Lessig Blog (Aug 10, 2007)
- Pearl Jam censored by AT&T, calls for a neutral 'Net, Ars Technica (Aug 9, 2007)
- Lines Censored: "Pearl Jam's performance of their big 90's hit "Daughter" morphed into the melody from Pink Floyd's "The Wall," and Eddie Vedder served up a pair of anti-Bush lyrics to the tune. "George Bush, leave this world alone," he sang. "George Bush, find yourself another home." "
- Somehow I Don't Think Pearl Jam/AT&T is the Shot Heard 'Round the World, Tech Liberation Front 8/21/2007
- FCC's Copps Speaks Out On Pearl Jam Controversy, Tech Daily Dose 8/21/2007
- AT&T Censored Other Bands, Too - Isolated incident apparently not so isolated..., DSLreports 8/15/2007
- AT&T admits it censored other bands, CNET 8/15/2007
- Oops, They Did It Again, PK 8/15/2007
- AT&T's Blue Room Censors Pearl Jam - Starts network neutrality scuff-up..., DSLreports 8/14/2007
- AT&T Censors Pearl Jam . . . and?, Isen 8/14/2007
- Did ATT censor Pearl Jam and can we trust them with the Internet?, Future of Music 8/14/2007
- AT&T Plays Gatekeeper. Censors Pearl Jam., Save the Internet 8/14/2007
BellSouth and MySpace
"In 2006, BellSouth blocked its customers in Florida and Tennessee from using MySpace and YouTube. Some suspected that BellSouth blocked the websites to test a tiered system of usage that would block certain websites if their administrators refused to pay for BellSouth’s quality of service package. BellsSouth’s Chief Technology Officer Bill Smith had openly supported the principle of tiered access for his company. The company issued a vague denial, and also argued that it provided warnings to its customers about potential Internet blocking." ACLU Network Neutrality 101 2010 citing Mark Hachman, BellSouth Says It’s Not Blocking MySpace, PCmagazine , June 2, 2006,
Content :: Blocking :: Messages
"Early in 2006, America On Line (AOL) began censoring e-mails that referenced a blog entry critical of AOL over an e-mail fee system the company had instituted. AOL’s blatant censorship impaired e-mail services to over 300 individuals, including customers and non-customers, who reported receiving an automated message saying their e-mail had “failed permanently.” An AOL spokesperson said that the automated messages were due to faulty software and that AOL had lifted its block of the e-mail protests. " ACLU Network Neutrality 101 2010 citing Rob Malda, Pay-per-e-mail and the “Market Myth,” Slashdot, March 29, 2006; Timothy Karr, AOL Censors Internet Speech, FreePress, Apr. 13, 2006, .
NARAL v Verizon
- See FCC Petition re blocking phone messages. Joint Petition for a Declaratory Ruling that Text Messages are a Title II Service and fall under anti discrimination provisions. Comments Due Feb. 13, 2008. Replies Due Mar. 14.
- Letter from Dee May, Verizon, to Marlene Dortch, FCC, Inquiry Concerning the Deployment of Advanced Telecommunications Capability to All Americans in a Reasonable and Timely Fashion, GN Docket No. 07-45, (Feb. 25, 2008) (enclosing statement by Verizon Executive Vice President Tom Tauke, that says in relevant part: “Last fall, NARAL sought a short code from Verizon Wireless. That request was initially declined, based on a misapplication of our content policy. As soon as Verizon Wireless management learned that NARAL was denied a short code, that decision was reversed.”)
- NARAL and the Christian Coalition Ask Verizon: Can You Hear Us Now?, Save the Internet 10/23/2007
- What Were They Smoking Down at the Precinct?, NOW 10/18/2007
- Free Speech Shouldn't End at Verizon's Door, Save the Internet 10/2/2007
- The Verizon/NARAL Flap And Lessons for NARAL (and all the rest of you advocacy orgs out there), Tales from the Sausage Factory 10/2/2007
- Verizon Tempts Fate, Blocks Naral's Message, IP Democracy 9/27/2007
- Verizon Rejects Messages of Abortion Rights Group, NYT 9/27/2007
- Verizon Blocks Pro-Choice Text Messaging, Save the Internet 9/27/2007
- At least 25 countries around the world block websites for political, social or other reasons as governments seek to assert authority ..., USA Today 5/18/2007
- What Were They Smoking Down at the Precinct?, NOW Oct 16, 2007
- Verizon's Tauke and Retribution Against NARAL, Open Left Sept 27, 2007
- Verizon Rejects NARAL Pro-Choice America's Text Messaging Program, Medical News Today Oct 1, 2007
Marconi Radio blocks Message from Prince Henry of Prussia to Pres. Roosevelt 1902
"Early in 1902 an incident occurred which caused the German Government to take official cognizance of the situation. Prince Henry of Prussia, brother of the German Kaiser, was returning to Germany, in the S.S. Deutschland , after a visit to the United States. Soon after sailing, he desired to send President Roosevelt a radio message thanking him for the numerous honors and courtesies which had been accorded him. The Deutschland transmitted this message to the Marconi station at Nantucket, but that station refused to accept it because the ship was fitted with Slaby-Arco radio equipment. The irate Prince brought the matter to the attention of his brother. Kaiser Wilhelm thereupon instructed his government to initiate action in an attempt to establish international control over radio communications. [Howeth] The US Navy, with jurisdiction over American radio at that time, adopted the policy of preventing the installation of radio stations which would block the receipt of messages.
Content :: Traffic Redirection
- See Strowger Switch ? Prior to 1890, a telephone subscriber had to use an operator in order to set up a call. The subscriber would pick up the telephone and tell the operator who they wanted to call. But what if the telephone operator was the wife of a funeral home owner? When people needed a funeral home, she could direct all the calls to her husband. At least, that's what Amon Stowger thought was happening. Every problem has a solution. Stowger's solution was to invent the electronic switch which would eliminate the necessity of an operator in order to set up a call. Subscribers could now pick up the phone and dial it themselves. Stowger reportedly remarked, "No longer will my competitor steal all my business just because his wife is a BELL operator."
- ISPs have experimented with redirecting toolbar searches to their own search engines
- Windstream Hijacking Firefox Google Toolbar Results, DSL Reports Apr. 5, 2010
- An update on Paxfire and search redirection, EFF August 25, 2011
- Widespread Hijacking of Search Traffic in the United States, EFF August 4, 2011
- See WiFi hotspot which redirects you from the first page you request to the validation / authorization page where you pay a subscription or sign in. [David Clark]
Content :: Filtering
- See First Amendment: Filtering
Content :: SPAM
SPAM is a significant problem. Left unchecked, the email signal-to-noise ratio becomes so bad that a service can be rendered unusable. Most email services now are aggressively engaged in anti spam strategies for filtering out SPAM.
- How Comcast censors political content, Free Press 7/19/2005
- RCN FAQ Prohibited "You agree not to post or transmit any unsolicited advertising, promotional materials, or other forms of solicitation to other subscribers, individuals, or entities, except in those areas (e.g., classified advertisement areas) that are designated for such a purpose
Content :: Imagine Compression
- Investigating End-To-End Integrity Violations in Internet Traffic Alan Mislove, Northeastern University, David Choffnes, Northeastern University, Taejoong Chung*, Northeastern University TPRC 2017
(finding image compression by mobile networks)
Content :: Inspection
See Deep Packet Inspection :: Wiretap :: Wiretap by network provider ::
"Hubbard's suggestion that Western Union's unique opportunity to get news of world commodity prices before anyone else presented a "temptation so strong few would have the strength to resist."" [Wolff 42]
Breaking Encryption
Differentiated Treatment of Internet Traffic BITAG Oct. 2015 “Some satellite and in-flight network operators have deployed proxy systems that allow differentiation of encrypted traffic. They do this by breaking the end-to-end encryption principle in favor of two encrypted segments, or in some cases with one segment being unencrypted entirely. Examples of these systems include: • Satellite operator ViaSat has developed a modified version of the Chrome browser that decrypts traffic inside their network, in order to optimize performance [122]. • To improve performance on retail in-flight WLAN network access, the networks provided by Gogo Inflight Internet, for a period of time, dynamically forged TLS certificates in order to shape traffic or block high-bandwidth uses such as video streaming (due to popular outcry, this practice was ceased shortly after discovery) [123]. In each of these cases, the network provider has made a decision to trade security for performance in order to differentiate between different data flows, and serve as a man-in-the-middle for an otherwise secure communication. .”
Filtering Bad Traffic
Networks may seek to filter traffic that is either defective (i.e.., misconfigured routers, corrupt DNS or routing tables) or malicious (ie., a DOS attack, worm, spam, phishing).
- Richard Clayton, The Rising Tide: DDoS by Defective Designs and Defaults
- NTP Server Misuse and Abuse, Wikipedia
- ISP Seen Breaking Internet Protocol to Fight Zombie Computers, Wired 7/26/2007
Remedies:
- Identify the attack source and filter packets based on source, however, the source of an attack can be spoofed and the attack can be distributed among a multitude of zombies.
- Ingress and egress filtering to ensure that packets that depart from a network are not spoofed, improving the ability to accurate identify an attack and also increasing the disincentive from launching an attack from a source for fear of being identified.