Internet Service Provider Shenanigans
In addition to the story that I previously blogged about, here is more on the doings of ISPs (via InstaPundit and the Consumerist).
Something I didn’t notice from the first article. AT&T had a clause in their contract that they could block any conduct that could viewed “unfavorably by others.” Then
AT&T removed the “unfavorably by others” wording in February after The Associated Press asked about the reason behind it. Subscribers, however, wouldn’t know that it was gone unless they checked the contract word for word: The document still said it was last updated Oct. 8, 2007.
To me, this indicates why the argument that contracts between consumers and corporations should be held inviolate is a pure canard. In this case, AT&T has unilateraly changed the contract between itself and its customers (albeit to the customers benefit), and is then obstructing the fact. If AT&T does that, then it completely destroys any concept that there has been a meeting of the minds.
Oh, and then there’s this, regarding ISPs selling search and browsing data to advertising analysts:
“[The clauses consenting to the datamining are] buried in agreements — who reads them?” said David Hallerman, a senior analyst at eMarketer. “The industry is setting itself up by not being totally transparent. . . . “
