Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Comcast Wants To Charge Broadband Users More For Privacy (dslreports.com)

Posted by msmash on from the pay-for-privacy dept.

Comcast believes it should be able to charge its broadband users who want to protect their privacy. FCC, on other hand, has indicated that such practices should not be there. In a new filing with the FCC, Comcast says that charging consumers more money to opt out of "snoopvertising" should be considered a perfectly acceptable business model (PDF). DSLReports: "A bargained-for exchange of information for service is a perfectly acceptable and widely used model throughout the U.S. economy, including the Internet ecosystem, and is consistent with decades of legal precedent and policy goals related to consumer protection and privacy," Comcast said in the filing. The company proceeds to claim that banning such options "would harm consumers by, among other things, depriving them of lower-priced offerings." In short, Comcast is arguing that protecting your own privacy should be a paid luxury option, and stopping them from doing so would raise broadband rates. But as we've noted for years it's the lack of competition that keeps broadband prices high. It's also the lack of competition that prevents users upset with broadband privacy practices from switching to another ISP. That's why the FCC thinks some basic privacy rules of the road might be a good idea.

3 of 182 comments (clear)

  1. Nothing New ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    AT&T has being doing this since they announced GigaPower, their 1GB/1GB service.

    $100 / month if you want your privacy, or $70 if you let them snoop

  2. Tomorrow's news: by LichtSpektren · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comcast complains that the FCC won't let them put remote controlled explosives into their modems in order to bring lower prices to customers.

    "A bargained-for exchange of customer's safety and well-being for higher prices is a perfectly acceptable and widely used model throughout the U.S. economy, including the Internet ecosystem, and is consistent with decades of legal precedent and policy goals related to consumer protection and privacy. [Not letting us put explosives in modems] would harm consumers by, among other things, depriving them of lower-priced offerings," Comcast's representative writes.

    1. Re:Tomorrow's news: by QuietLagoon · · Score: 5, Insightful

      ...A bargained-for exchange of customer's safety and well-being for higher prices is a perfectly acceptable and widely used model throughout the U.S. economy,...

      He left out one important caveat --- when there is adequate competition present so that the consumer has a choice, when the company in question does not lobby legislative bodies to reduce or eliminate that competition.