[governance] Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic

[Milton L Mueller]

It's important to understand the distinction between net neutrality, which means nondiscriminatory access to internet resources, and bandwidth management. The two have gotten confused. Networks have a right to manage their bandwidth. They don't have a right to block access to specific sites or applications, based on the content or competition at the site.


Milton Mueller, Professor
Syracuse University 
School of Information Studies
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Internet Governance Project:
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-----Original Message-----
From: Carlos Afonso [mailto:ca at rits.org.br] 
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 1:32 PM
To: Virtual WSIS CS Plenary Group Space
Cc: governance at lists.cpsr.org; africa at wsis-cs.org
Subject: [governance] Re: [WSIS CS-Plenary] Fwd: Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic

The same happens in Brazil, albeit in a more sophisticated fashion.
Certain services might be totally blocked (like a ssh connection, or the
mx port 25 if you want to run a mail server in your home), or degraded
(like p2p and voip traffic). The big broadband operators recognize they
do it and say that, as they are the good and wonderful people they are,
they are doing this to protect us, their "valuable", dummy customers.
Anatel, our FCC, feels powerless to do anything on this (or is afraid
to), except in extreme cases, like when BR Telecom blocked Skype traffic
altogether.

So, user traffic is blocked, manipulated, degraded, or outrightly peeked
at (and selectively recorded at incredibly high speeds, like the
infamous AT&T+NSA practice denounced by EFF in the USA) in nearly all
countries. It seems fashionable to single out China, Cuba and a few
other countries (like the RSF list of baddies) as the villains, but the
USA and many other "democracies" are doing the same (with more or less
sophistication).

Net neutrality! Where? Where?

[] fraterno

--c.a.

Rui Correia wrote:

> Dear All
> 
> I thought this is pertinent on these forums.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Rui
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: t r u t h o u t <messenger at truthout.org>
> Date: 20 Oct 2007 01:50
> Subject: Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic
> To: correia.rui at gmail.com
> 
> t r u t h o u t | 10.19
> 
> Go directly to our issues page: http://www.truthout.org/issues.shtml
> 
> Comcast Blocks Some Internet Traffic
> http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101907R.shtml
> Peter Svensson, reporting for The Associated Press, writes: "Comcast Corp.
> actively interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet
> subscribers to share files online, a move that runs counter to the tradition
> of treating all types of Net traffic equally. The interference, which The
> Associated Press confirmed through nationwide tests, is the most drastic
> example yet of data discrimination by a US Internet service provider."
> 
> 
> 
> Comcast interferes with attempts by some of its high-speed Internet
> subscribers to share files online; J. Sri Raman writes on the return of
> Benazir Bhutto; enormous problems in management lead to criminal probe into
> Iraq construction of US embassy; power plant rejected over carbon dioxide in
> Kansas for first time in US history; historic bill in Senate to fight
> warming affecting every major segment of the nation's economy; Bush aide
> rejects climate goal; Guatemala union heads killed; Carolyn Maloney writes
> on battling the birth control price hike; Marie Cocco of Truthdig on
> Medicare; Tom Philpott of Grist.org interviews Michael Pollan; and more ...
> Browse our continually updating front page at http://www.truthout.org

-- 
Carlos A. Afonso
diretor de planejamento
Rits - Rede de Informações para o Terceiro Setor
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