Your ISP as Net watchdog

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Ben Franklin Quote

Hi, ebrke.

What Ben Franklin actually said was, "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." The difference is important, because it is well-recognized that security and liberty are always trade-offs.

When you use an ISP, you leave digital tracks behind. By using the service, you acknowledge the service provider's right to know what you're doing. For instance, Comcast's Server Subscriber Agreement contains this paragraph:

"Comcast does not claim any ownership of any material that you publish, transmit or distribute using the Service. By using the Service to publish, transmit or distribute material or content, you (i) warrant that the material or content complies with the provisions of this Agreement, (ii) consent to and authorize Comcast, its agents, suppliers, and affiliates to reproduce, publish, distribute, and display the content worldwide and (iii) warrant that you have the right to provide this authorization. You acknowledge that material posted or transmitted using the Service may be copied, republished or distributed by third parties, and you agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Comcast, its agents, suppliers, and affiliates for any harm resulting from these actions."

Notice one particular phrase: The user agrees to "consent to and authorize Comcast, its agents, suppliers, and affiliates to reproduce, publish, distribute, and display the content worldwide" and "acknowledge that material posted or transmitted using the Service may be copied, republished or distributed by third parties".

That seems to give carte blanche to distribute your browsing data to whomever they choose, including the authorities. Obviously, they're legally precluded from distributing things like your credit card data, but you certainly don't have a right to any kind of anonymity, any more than you'd have if you went to a brick-and-mortar store and bought something.

The main limitiation the government and ISPs will face, as the article notes, is technical. There's just so much space on a server, and current search technology limits how much you can search at once.

Posted by: bhartman36   Posted on: 06/16/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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