AT&T defends plan to detect customers' Net piracy
WASHINGTON--An AT&T executive on Wednesday sought to defuse fears that forthcoming tools aimed at identifying pirates on its network will harm the average Net surfer's online experience.
The planned tactic is "not about heavy-handed tactics that go after the vast majority of our customers that want to consume content legally," AT&T assistant vice president of regulatory policy Brent Olson said at an antipiracy summit here hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "It's about making more content available to more people in more ways going forward."
In June, AT&T announced that it was collaborating with Hollywood studios and other copyright holders to come up with technological solutions to prevent users from swapping massive amounts of content in an unauthorized manner. The idea is to target and identify the most salient offenders, according to news reports at the time, but it remains unclear exactly how the technique will work.
It's too early to offer any more details on what approaches his company is considering, but it's "looking at a variety of avenues," Olson said. But some sort of filtering technique seems to be in the works, as he suggested the result will be a "safe, secure and reliable platform" that will not only make it easier for Net users to access legitimate content but also help to protect them from spyware and viruses.
However the plans shake out, the consumer "must come first," Olson said, adding that whatever solutions are implemented will be "targeted" and "appropriate under the law."
Whether such pledges are enough for AT&T to appease critics who have dogged its practices in the past, however, remains to be seen.
The company has been no stranger to controversy over its content-management techniques, so to speak, in recent months. It stirred up controversy among some Internet users after reports it had censored the anti-Bush remarks of Pearl Jam and other bands who appeared in concerts streamed from its Blue Room Web site. And, let's not forget, it's the target of an ongoing lawsuit accusing it of opening its networks to the National Security Agency without a warrant.
The consumer "must come first," Olson said.
That is the very definition of oxymoron!
From what I've read, invitation only, encrypted wireless networks are springing up on college campuses, apartment buildings, and other areas with high density populations of young people. Since they don't connect to the Internet or any other public network they cannot be monitored.
Technology isn't the answer to piracy, and neither is more draconian laws.
The answer, IMO, is for the movie and music industry to find a way to provide their customers with the product they want at a fair price.
If you don't like the fact that AT&T is mucking with their service THEN VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET and leave. 'Net service isn't a right; it's a luxury. If AT&T is the only broadband service around you (which I doubt), then sign up with a dial-up provider ... unless you're pirating copyrighted material and if so, then I have no sympathy for you.
Look...the fact is this: everyone that's been downloading copyrighted material "illegally" knew that they were on borrowed time, and the day the ISPs began working with the "studios" (movie, music, etc...) would the day that the free stuff would stop. Everyone knew this.
Sites like the PirateBay can say what they want, but if the ISPs shut the user down, then the PirateBay is toast if people are capped, warned and booted for excessive bandwidth usage.
Suck it up or suck it down. Your choice.
That means they can monitor any traffic originating from any ISP that routes across their network.
Run traceroute (on Mac or Linux), or tracert (on Windows) to www.news.com or any other site, and you'll see the problem with this kind of snooping.
This is a deal with the devil, not that AT&T has ever been a saint.
In either case, I'm glad I'm with Cox, they own a good chunk of the backbones they connect to.
Finally... this will only hurt the "tween" "teen" and those who are not technically savvy to cover their tracks. Shame on you AT&T cause guess your not getting my business now are ya? Just like (CR)Apple is not getting my business either.
~Peace!~
Heres AT&Ts take on "Trusted Computing" (see the "insecure computers" reference in their new "TOS"):
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070930-att-threatens-to-disconnect-subscribers-who-are-critical-of-the-company.html
And, heres a few statements, made recently, regarding the proper future of the Internet... as the former U.S. "Cyber-Czar" sees it...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10/02/richard_clarke_speech_trust_online_santa_clara_university_microsoft/
And heres more info on AT&Ts, and others, intention to deep-snoop all Internet-traffic:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070613-att-willing-to-spy-for-nsa-mpaa-and-riaa.html
http://www.mirror99.com/20060907/p2p_bandwidth_hogs_drive_network_operators_to_deploy_deep_packet_inspection_new_report_faia.jspx
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/07/26/168202
http://origin.arstechnica.com/articles/culture/Deep-packet-inspection-meets-net-neutrality.ars
http://www.networkworld.com/details/6299.html?def
So... heres a few things to consider...
AT&T was just caught seriously violating Federal-Law (illegally spying on Americans, at the behest of the U.S. Government). And, now, The Federal-Government is frantically trying to protect, and shield, AT&T from the legal repercussions of those actions... as well as, allowing AT&T to recreate its former "monopoly". And low, and behold, AT&T agrees to monitor the "contents" of virtually ALL Internet-traffic that crosses their "network" (exactly what the Government has repeatedly stated they want). And, AT&T has also just changed their "TOS" (Terms of Service) to allow them to ban any computer that is, allegedly, "insecure" (I.E. isnt "Trusted").
And, then theres "Trusted Computing" (created by Microsoft). This will allow the technological-ability to completely "biometrically identify" every single computer-user (with the help of say... a, machine-readable, National, biometric-ID card and a fingerprint-scanner. Yep, these capabilities are already built-into the "Vista" APIs, by the way). Furthermore, Microsofts "Trusted Computing" also creates the ability to absolutely control all computer-software and hardware (preventing any "unauthorized" OSes, Software, applications, devices, or uses, from being installed, or allowed any Internet-access).
And, amazingly, Microsoft came-up with many of these elements within "Trusted Computing" after they [Microsoft] were convicted of violating Federal "Anti-Trust" laws... and, after every conviction was upheld... and, after the D.O.J. was, apparently, then ordered to let Microsoft off, with no real punishment, or restrictions, on their activities.
And, isnt it also amazing that, at this time, the Federal Government is also, going out of its way to protect, and support, Microsoft, against all legal-prosecutions, and threats to their current computer "monopoly".
And, of course, theres also "Apple". I suppose you know about the controversies surrounding Apples latest blatant-attempts to control computer-users. And, I would hope you also already know about the "TPM" -Trusted Platform Modules- that are to be a permanent-part of all future Apple-Computers. Yes, Macs will also be "Trusted" (I.E. designed to impose, and enforce DRM, and allow spying, on computer-owners).
Then, there are the Cisco-routers (the most-commonly used routers on the Internet). They are already designed to identify, and block, "non-trusted computers" (I.E. ANY computer running unapproved software, or hardware).
In short... all the pieces are falling into place. It looks like "Trusted Computing", and "Internet-Snooping by ISPs", is finally, truly poised to virtually eliminate the private-control of computers, privacy, and freedom... as we know it... once and for all.
Are you afraid, yet..?
ago, but it was not very good and I switched then.
I really think ISPs are there to pass the information around, not to
snoop in on it. We don't need a spy in every computer. Piracy may
not be good, but spying is much, much worse.
Will arrogance and greed never stop trying to rule the world?
- Slow Speeds are Worse
- by Xenu7-214951314497503184010868 October 3, 2007 10:37 PM PDT
- Maybe AT&T should spend their resources improving their infrastructure and broadband accessibility and speeds.
- Reply to this comment
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