Comcast Threatening To Disconnect Tor Users?

[exfileme]

Comcast may be cracking down on Tor users.

Comcast Threatening To Disconnect Tor Users? : Read more

 

[Urzu1000]

I like the option of being anonymous. To be honest though, I use the Tor Browser at work when I need to look at a website (Youtube for example), that's by default blocked on the network. There's nothing malicious about that, and my boss is fine with it.

I feel that we're at a fine time when anonymity and legality conflict between consumers and corporations. They're all so scared that people can do whatever they want, that they would like the limit the ability of the consumers so that they can better manage them.

I do not fault them for this, as from their side, this is important. But I don't take their side either. I simply won't use Comcast if they determine the type of browser I can or can't use on my computer.

 

[ubercake]

Here's the real problem:

If you surf the web truly anonymously, Comcast can't make money off of your marketing data.

This is a threat to all cable companies.

I'm sure Comcast'll get their buddy ol' Tom Wheeler over at the FCC involved if it becomes too much of a profit loss for them.

Fortunately for Comcast and other cable companies, not too many people even know what the Tor browser is.

They need to add funtionality to the Tor browser that sends special data to Comcast (so they still think they're getting what they want) while still keeping the person's browsing anonymous.

There's nothing illegal about anonymity when you're not doing anything illegal.

 

[bourgeoisdude]

Comcast seems to have a knack for making themselves look bad.

 

[Devoteicon]

"Users who try to use anonymity, or cover themselves up on the internet, are usually doing things that aren't so-to-speak legal," said one Comcast agent, who wanted to remain anonymous.

 

[Morbus]

"Users who try to use anonymity, or cover themselves up on the internet, are usually doing things that aren't so-to-speak legal"
This notion is absolute bollocks.

Let me put it this way:
- people who use burner phones are usually criminals.
- people who wear dark clothes are usually thieves.
- people who drive cars with tinted windows are usually kidnapers.
- people who eat tofu are usually rapists.

Also:
- people who dye their hair are usually con artists.

 

[skit75]

They care less about what you are doing and more that they can't funnel advertisers at you or use your browsing history to profit off of you.

 

[SteelCity1981]

"Users who try to use anonymity, or cover themselves up on the internet, are usually doing things that aren't so-to-speak legal," one Comcast agent told a customer.

I don't like to be followed around by websites I already visited and having my isp track me and where I go, because I don't like my privacy being intruded. that must mean I must be doing something illegal huh. lets cut the crap Comcast this isn't about you might be doing something illegal. this boils down to the isp's and advertising companies not being able to get info from where you go.

 

[Cazalan]

Likewise when ever you turn off your webcam you're doing something naughty.

How Orwellian are we going to allow society to become? The government should just give away free iPhone + iWatch so they can monitor your breathing and heart rate 24/7.

 

[swiftleeo]

For the people who are doing illegal things, this means nothing. Comcast has a bad reputation for anti-piracy and anti-privacy, thus anyone doing such illegal things with half a brain would get another cable/internet provider if possible. Jeeze you pay them money to use their service and they complain about how you use it.

It's kind of like paying to get a house built and having the contractor complain about how messy the house is when you're living in it.

 

[WithoutWeakness]

For the people who are doing illegal things, this means nothing. Comcast has a bad reputation for anti-piracy and anti-privacy, thus anyone doing such illegal things with half a brain would get another cable/internet provider if possible. Jeeze you pay them money to use their service and they complain about how you use it.

It's kind of like paying to get a house built and having the contractor complain about how messy the house is when you're living in it.

There are a LOT of places in the US where Comcast is the only option for moderately reliable high-speed internet. In many places your only options are slow dial-up/DSL from a local phone company or Comcast. In some towns and counties Comcast has a contract to be the exclusive internet provider. There are people who would take another viable option in a heartbeat but short of uprooting their families' lives and moving they don't have any other options.

 

[swiftleeo]

For the people who are doing illegal things, this means nothing. Comcast has a bad reputation for anti-piracy and anti-privacy, thus anyone doing such illegal things with half a brain would get another cable/internet provider if possible. Jeeze you pay them money to use their service and they complain about how you use it.

It's kind of like paying to get a house built and having the contractor complain about how messy the house is when you're living in it.

There are a LOT of places in the US where Comcast is the only option for moderately reliable high-speed internet. In many places your only options are slow dial-up/DSL from a local phone company or Comcast. In some towns and counties Comcast has a contract to be the exclusive internet provider. There are people who would take another viable option in a heartbeat but short of uprooting their families' lives and moving they don't have any other options.

That's true. Noone makes life easy. I'm guessing they would also disconnect VPN users?

 

[SirTrollsALot]

FAK COMMYCAST!!! GO MOVE TO CHINA BEOTCH!!!

 

[f-14]

....... In some towns and counties Comcast has a contract to be the exclusive internet provide........

which cities? i have never heard of this, i'd like to read up on it.

 

[Christopher1]

I find this hard to impossible to believe considering that I have been using the TOR Browser for years on Comcast with no issues and no complaints from Comcast.

 

[dovah-chan]

MUH FREEDOMS

 

[jasonelmore]

Just use a VPN service or buy a fancy router, this will achieve the same effect as TOR

 

[swiftleeo]

Just use a VPN service or buy a fancy router, this will achieve the same effect as TOR

Tomato router

 

[DragonFireXY]

This is why I live in Canada. Rogers seriously does not give a shit. I've tried to get caught pirating hundreds of new movies and they don't care.

 

[swiftleeo]

This is why I live in Canada. Rogers seriously does not give a shit. I've tried to get caught pirating hundreds of new movies and they don't care.

Most ISP's don't care. Comcast is just that one guy who is always trying to bring people down

 

[Darkk]

I don't think it would be in best interest if Comcast also target VPN users as there are legit uses for it. I use it to connect to my work network. If they start blocking IPSEC traffic then I will use OpenVPN which allows me to pick any port I want and it looks like normal SSL traffic which is based on OpenSSL.

If Comcast suspect illegal activity then they have to get a search warrant the old fashioned way to search the suspect's PC. We take privacy and our liberty for granted.

 

[arossetti]

Sorry to tell you Darkk but Comcast is a private entity not a Government agent. They don't need a search warrant. They can look at whatever they want - from packet to payload. Same way Google scans emails for marketing purposes.

 

[soldier44]

This is bs I've had comcast for many years now and been using a VPN service for a few years also with no notices or warnings of browsing anonymously. Guess Ive been flying under the radar and I do use about 150gb a month of data with their extreme 105mbs service.

 

[swiftleeo]

It's not to say that Tor ISN'T used for illegal activities, but I would say the majority of Tor users probably are just concerned about their privacy.

 

[Christopher1]

Um.... yes, TOR is used for illegal activities, though I would say that less than 1/4th of the people using it are using it for illegal purposes. By the way, I use TOR and I do NOT use it for illegal purposes by the laws where I live.