AT&T Internet Filtering
Joel Johnson of BoingBoing Gadgets visited The Hugh Thompson Show to talk about gadgets. This is a show that is sponsored exclusively by AT&T and distributed on their online Tech Channel. So what’s the first thing he does? He calls out AT&T on their idea/plan to filter all packets handled by their routers - basically peeking at what you are doing to make sure it’s not something naughty.
“I eventually did talk about gadgets, but in light of AT&T’s shocking and baffling announcement of their plans to filter the internet, I thought that a much more interesting and important topic.
So that’s what I talked about.
As you can see from the video, the crew ended up scrubbing the interview about half-way through. Figuring that might happen, I asked my steely-nerved friend Richard Blakeley to tape the first take. I wanted to make sure that we had a record of the event, primarily to ensure that AT&T would have no reason to try to bury the interview entirely — the same reason I am running this clip now, while discussion about what to do with my segment in post-production is surely underway.”
This guy is awesome.
Check out the rest of his details about the incident here.
7 Responses to “AT&T Internet Filtering”
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In my opinion, what AT&T wants to be able to do should be illegal. It is a violation of privacy and trust. If I was using AT&T’s services, I would cancel and find a different provider. I hope this info gets sent to all their subscribers in huge bold letters, and not hidden in the fine print.
Yeppers, I agree all around on this one…Its called control through paranoia and me no likes it!
Watch the US try to slip this into the ‘Patriot Act’ and make it legal in the coming year before W leaves office.
Typical big wig, cigar smoking, empty suits trying to squeeze a little more liberty from us.
Getting tired of all their ‘rules’ and ‘regulations’ can’t that generation realize that we don’t want them running our lives?
guys, you forgot something: you are nothing but a way to make money. In that sense why should privacy exist?
I really hate this more and more often way of thinking of the companies.
In the same spirit, I read a few months ago about a company that was provided a new service to companies: a software giving them the possibility to read all the text messages coming in and getting out of the blueberries of their employees.
Well, in response to AugustClo, I don’t really mind if it is a company doing it to its own employees. If you are given a blueberry by your work and are meant to use it for work, there should be no problem if they read your emails and text messages. Your personal stuff should be on your own phone. In that regard, I don’t find it as bad.
What I hate is when they try to peek into our private lives. They don’t belong there and should not be looking at what we are doing.
Well AugustClo, I’d like to see you justify how infringing on our privacy is going to help make those companies some money. If they do start sticking their nose in our business, its because the gov. is asking them to do so through some kind of pressuring tactic. The patriot act or some other law/bylaw that was passed unknowingly by most of the general public.
Our privacy is our legal and constitutional right! That does not take a back seat to making money…geez!
Juggling Mike, I am not sure about that but when I read it it did not sound like it was the company’s blueberries but also the private blueberries of the employees in the company. However it has to be checked because it is only how I understood it from my reading.
OnePunch, officially it is for copyright content, isn’t it? copyright = money. I wonder what is the interest of such a company in monitoring people to make sure that they do not exchange stuff illegally. Maybe an agreement with the people making money from copyrights? And in anyway, I really don’t think that they will deploy technology and energy just for fun. I never heard about a company doing something without thinking of the money they could earn from it.
“Our privacy is our legal and constitutional right! That does not take a back seat to making money…geez!”
I agree with you… but unfortunately I don’t think it is the case for everyone on earth.
Well, first thing you guys should know is that AT&T has a history of cooperating with government agencies - see the NSA wiretapping fiasco (http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/04/70619)
Their CEO is trying to take the high road on this one by stating “It’s like being in a store and watching someone steal a DVD. Do you act?” - but I don’t buy it. Personally I suspect influence from Hollywood lobbyists - either directly or through other channels.
It like they always say “Follow the money”