AT&T to Filter Internet Traffic; Comcast Investigated by FCC for Filtering Internet Traffic

From Bits blog at the New York Times:

Mr. Cicconi said that AT&T has been talking to technology companies, and members of the MPAA and RIAA, for the last six months about implementing digital fingerprinting techniques on the network level.

“We are very interested in a technology based solution and we think a network-based solution is the optimal way to approach this,” he said. “We recognize we are not there yet but there are a lot of promising technologies. But we are having an open discussion with a number of content companies, including NBC Universal*, to try to explore various technologies that are out there.”

From the AP, describing the FCC's investigations into Comcast's packet shaping/filter/blocking of P2P traffic:

The Federal Communications Commission will investigate complaints that Comcast Corp. actively interferes with Internet traffic as its subscribers try to share files online, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Tuesday.

A coalition of consumer groups and legal scholars asked the agency in November to stop Comcast from discriminating against certain types of data. Two groups also asked the FCC to fine the nation's No. 2 Internet provider $195,000 for every affected subscriber.

* Why does AT&T care what NBC Universal has to say about the way the AT&T network is used? Answer: They don't. But it lets AT&T play traffic cop instead of robber baron.

[#1 posted by bardfinn , January 9, 2008 2:28 PM]

Encrypt your traffic, folks. Encrypt, Encrypt, Encrypt.

[#2 posted by Wingo , January 9, 2008 3:49 PM]

Why does AT&T care what NBC Universal has to say about the way the AT&T network is used?

My question exactly. Sounds fishy. Or like a big CYA maneuver...

[#3 posted by sharkcellar , January 9, 2008 4:40 PM]

Even better. Kevin Martin is getting the big eye from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.

http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0852153620080109

[#4 posted by sharkcellar , January 9, 2008 4:41 PM]

Even better. Kevin Martin is getting the big eye from the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.

http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0852153620080109

[#5 posted by Brother Phil , January 10, 2008 3:00 AM]

You know, the thought strikes me that, if they are going to filter for content, that would mean that they are no longer common carriers,and so they would be liable for each and every failure to filter something illegal. Anywhere. Look up jackdaniels.com from Saudi Arabia, and if a packet goes through their network...