AP Says Comcast Surreptitiously Interferes with File Sharing
Oct 22nd, 2007 • Posted in: NewsNEW YORK
An ethical and legal debate over a little-known technical practice of Internet service providers (ISPs) assumed larger proportions last week after the Associated Press said its tests found that a major service provider does not treat all traffic equally.
The AP charges that Comcast Corp. actively interferes with attempts by some subscribers to share online files. According to the AP report, Comcast, the nation’s second-largest ISP, uses technology that interrupts transmissions of peer-to-peer file-sharing programs, a form of Internet communication that allows users share files among themselves.
While peer-to-peer transmissions have been linked to illegal sharing of copyrighted intellectual property, there are many legitimate applications for the technology, reports the AP.
A Comcast spokesperson told the AP only that the firm does not “block access to any applications,” but refused to specify what the company means by “access.” The AP claims that while file downloading was not blocked, uploading was blocked or delayed.
The technology news service ZDNet reports that the tests involved sharing a version of the Bible using a file-sharing program called BitTorrent. No problems were detected on two other cable systems, leading the testers to conclude that Comcast had sent surreptitious technical instructions to interfere with the transfer.
According to an analysis from technology news network CNET, ISPs dislike file sharing for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that sharing large media files chokes bandwidth and slows communication for everyone.
At the heart of the issue is a complex concept called Net neutrality, a tenet embraced by many industry leaders and lawmakers who say all Internet traffic should be treated equally, reports the Toronto Globe & Mail.
But an emerging technological and business framework often referred to as bandwidth shaping would vary the prices that ISPs charge based on the type of communication being transacted. Critics say the end result of bandwidth shaping could be providers selling priority access based on a user’s activity — such as those who use the Internet for phone calls being charged an extra fee to ensure a good connection.
Recently developed technologies allow ISPs to detect characteristics of customers’ usage, including whether they are transferring large files. While the technology could enable ISPs to interfere with large file transfers, it also could enable customers who pay extra to be put in the fast lane.
Those issues have moved the controversy into the realm of ethics because critics argue that ISPs have no right to inspect content and give preferential — or punitive — treatment to certain digital information.
Some in the industry counter that intervention is necessary to keep Internet traffic moving.
Print This Story
Email This Story
[...] more information, see: Related Newsline story, Nov. 26, 2007 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 22, 2007 — Related Newsline story, Oct. 8, 2007 — Related Newsline story, [...]