For the last month there has been a simmering story about violations of network neutrality by some of the largest Internet Providers. Comcast in particular has been inserting IP reset messages into customer’s communications, falsely telling computers on both sides of a connection that the other side wants to end the exchange. (This technique is described here in this white paper on TCP exploits, you need to scroll down about a page; of course Comcast is in the middle, so it’s even easier for them to forge the bogus packet).
There’s been a formal complaint about Comcast filed to the FCC, Associated Press’s Peter Svensson (new hero of network neutrality) broke the story to mainstream media by running independent tests that showed the violations, and Drew Clark has turned his attention to the matter.
I’ve been reading and following this story, but haven’t had time to post until now. Luckily, David Isenberg wrote a clear and succinct op-ed piece on Comcast and Verizon and their violations of network neutrality, and was given permission to post it on his blog. Take a read, this issue might not seem like much, and it probably hasn’t affected you yet.
But, the internet, and the end-to-end principal is a very valuable and precious thing; perhaps *the* crowning achievement of the 20th century. If we let greedy corporate interests control and censor our ability to communicate; woe to us.
Technorati Tags: Comcast violation, Comcast Reset packets, David Isenberg, FCC complaint Comcast