Industry front group Americans for Prosperity wrote that there hasn't been "a single significant
incident of egregious behavior" by phone and cable companies," adding that Net Neutrality is "a
solution in search of a problem."
That's an ignorant and untrue statement.
Comcast blocked "bit torrent" file sharing applications. While internet service providers spread
propaganda that all bit torrent traffic is illegal, the truth is that bit torrent programs are widely used to
exchange legitimate large files.
My husband's ability to work from home was impaired when Comcast made it impossible for him to
use bit torrent to send and receive files from his colleagues. We'd change providers, but Comcast has
a monopoly on high-speed internet where we live.
AT&T met with motion picture and record industry execs over a proposal to spy on all online
communications and throttle those they deem â??illegal," compromising the privacy and safety of
AT&T's users.
ISPs have also threatened to use new discriminatory technology â?? called deep packet inspection
â?? as a way to filter content and impose new tolls on users.
Supporters of surveillance say 'If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide," but
that's incredibly short-sighted.
Who watches the watchers appointed to inspect internet traffic? Who are these inspectors going to
be? What's going to stop them from "inspecting" personal info and engaging in identity theft? What if
they "inspect" photos that happen to show where peoples' possessions are in their home, what kind
of locks they have, what their kids look like? What if they "inspect" emails that detail schedules, the
names of the kids and where they go to daycare?
Tech-savvy internet pirates will quickly come up with ways to block this kind of surveillance, while
ordinary people who use the internet honestly will be endangered by irresponsible infringement of
their privacy.
Net neutrality is vital to protecting the security, both real and virtual, of honest internet users.