Comments on: AT&T defends plan to detect customers' Net piracy

As the telco teams with Hollywood and other copyright holders on tools designed to police for unauthorized content, company vice president wants to downplay concerns about how they'll work.

[sismoc]

An oxymoron

AT&T announced that it was collaborating with Hollywood studios.
The consumer "must come first," Olson said.

That is the very definition of oxymoron!

[rcrusoe]

Snooping just spurs innovation

I don't condone piracy, but all this "big brother" behavior is only going to further alienate the entertainment industry from their customers - while doing little to reduce file swapping.

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.

[als]

No Thanks

Your World. Delivered.

[Mousefinger]

So what? Sign with a new ISP if you don't like it.

Big deal.

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.

[telestarnext]

Tech

Fact is for every technology there is a anti technology. Places like the PirateBay will always exist and always HAVE (Inner Circle). The delivery technology is different but not the last. Anyone remember back in the day the DISK NIBBLER, Then there was the MODEM DISK NIBBLER, then SoftICE (Icepick)ect. ect.. News Groups, BBS's, FidoNet, FTP,P2P,Yadda Yadda Yadda. Most of us don't care if the ISP shuts us down. There are too many options now, and its really never been about cost. We will pay whatever it takes to do whatever we are free to do. I am looking forward to the next gen software that auto encrypts and changes ports dynamically based on IP address ranges. ;)

[GrandpaN1947]

When they censor, I'll switch

Fortunately, I'm not with AT&T. If I were, I would switch providers. My usage is my business, not theirs. Might be time to go with more encryption. I don't want AT&T, our government, or anyone else to be "snooping" on me. I don't want their cameras in my home either. I have nothing to hide, but I have nothing to show. Stay out of my life....bad government!

[rcrusoe]

Switching ISPs may not help

From what I've read, AT&T provides a large portion of the Internet backbone in the U.S.

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.

[unknown unknown]

And when people figure out how to get around it

and copyright holders demand AT&T do more (you know they will), AT&T will be in a tight spot because they'll have given up their DMCA protection. Meaning labels and Hollywood etc can go for straight for AT&T's deep pockets the momment they're not satisfied.

This is a deal with the devil, not that AT&T has ever been a saint.

[tanis143]

That wouldn't work

Even if they own the backbone, they can not stop traffic going to an ISP, its up to that ISP to monitor their own customers. I believe this story is talking about AT&T as an ISP and not a backbone provider.

In either case, I'm glad I'm with Cox, they own a good chunk of the backbones they connect to.

[~Neo~]

AT&T is being Ludicrous

Just like AT&T go figure. Now they wanna be the internet police. Just like their dealings with Apple, and the whole iPhone debacle trying to keep their system free from "piracy" and the same ol' BS they keep feeding us. I would expect this from Time Warner, but then again.. Time Warner would be biting the hand that feeds them as they own the record companies, magazines, and TV networks and high speed broadband connections.

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!~

[Had_to_be_said]

Oh, it gets a lot worse... And, a lot bigger...

Be afraid... Be, very, afraid...

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..?

[mr3vil]

Lot's of FUD in that post

About trusted platform that is. I have a TPM on my business-class laptop. The beauty of it is that the TPM stores my login password and fingerprint data so that certain Linux distros can't just go in and get my password in a matter of minutes. I also have a lock box on my Hard Drive of encrypted data and because to unlock it you have to go through my TPM nobody can get to it by removing the hard drive. There's no DRM or anything like that, there's nothing stopping me from doing what I want with it. Stop spreading all this FUD about it, besides it seems so far that TPM is staying within the business class PC market.

[appledogx--2008]

So now they're Big Brother?

Frankly, I would switch ISPs if I had them. I had their service years
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?

[Xenu7-214951314497503184010868]

Slow Speeds are Worse

Maybe AT&T should spend their resources improving their infrastructure and broadband accessibility and speeds.