ISP Embarq Monitors User Traffic

Deli Korkmaz writes "The Washington Post reports that Sprint-Nextel spin-off Embarq, currently the US's fourth largest DSL provider, monitored Internet activity on some 26,000 customers in Kansas using deep-packet inspection technology NebuAd in order to deliver targeted advertising to users' desktops. CNet provides coverage as well. The House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce is investigating whether any privacy laws were broken. Users were informed of this test and invited to opt out only via Embarq's online Privacy Policy; a mere 15 subscribers did so."

Comments

Why aren't we encrypting everything already?

[Anonymous Coward]

If we can get web servers to support TLS (for multi-domain encryption on a single IP vs. SSL), and create a non-identity framework for encryption, we should just start encrypting everything end to end. ISPs are asking for it with these behaviors.

Re:was it limited to inspection?

[spinkham]

If they are using the NebuAd services, it IS both deep packet inspection and inserting javascript in all pages.
The fact that it uses the information it gathers to give better targeted ads on your DNS redirection (a separate kind of internet breaking evil you should be ashamed of, BTW) is just gravy.
You as an employee have only received half the story, and it makes it sound a whole lot better that way.
Wikipedia's article on NebuAd will give you some of the real scoop, but it gets worse the more you find out about it..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NebuAd