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Comcast's Protected Browsing Is Blocking PayPal, Steam and TorrentFreak, Customers Say (vice.com)

Posted by msmash on from the your-guess-is-as-good-as-ours dept.

Comcast's Xfinity internet customers have been reporting multiple websites, including PayPal, Steam, and TorrentFreak have been getting blocked by the ISP's "protected browsing" setting. From a report: The "protected browsing" setting is designed to "reduce the risk of accessing known sources of malware, spyware, and phishing for all devices connected to your home network." This, in general, isn't a bad thing. It's similar to Google Chrome's security settings that warn you when you have an insecure connection. But it's odd that Xfinity's security setting would be blocking perfectly harmless sites like PayPal. Multiple consumers have been reporting on Comcast's forums and elsewhere that they've been blocked while trying to access sites that many people use every day. After posting about it on the forums, one user who said they couldn't access PayPal said the problem with that particular site had been fixed. Further reading: Comcast's Protected Browsing Blocks TorrentFreak as "Suspicious" Site (TorrentFreak).

8 of 82 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Torrents ARE a source of malware by viperidaenz · · Score: 2

    TorrentFreak is a news site about torrents.

    The media industry doesn't like them because they don't publish their view.

  2. My 2 Cents by DaMattster · · Score: 2

    This is what happens when you turn to ISPs to solve the problems of the internet; more problems are created. There are plenty of ways to do this for yourself that can be found for a simple Google search. One of the problems with America is that we've stopped using the critical thinking skills that evolution gave us. You need not be a power user to search for solutions. In a former career, I was a System Admin so I simply setup an OpenBSD-based firewall/gateway/proxy out of a spare computer to replace the hunk of garbage my ISP gave me. I've created a list of all of the allowed websites and that's it.

    1. Re:My 2 Cents by ArtemaOne · · Score: 2

      No, if you put them in power, you're an enabler.

  3. Re: This, in general, is a bad thing by mukinrestak · · Score: 2

    In markets where they have a choice of broadband ISP, sure they're that stupid. Sadly though, not all markets have that choice.

  4. Paypal is harmless? by dkone · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Read about some of the things Paypal does. I don't think I would put them in the harmless category.

  5. Re:Is this on by default? by msauve · · Score: 2

    So, they were violating net neutrality a year before the FCC got rid of it.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  6. Re: This, in general, is a bad thing by CodeHog · · Score: 2

    ^^^ This

    --
    Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.
  7. No Problems Here by CodeHog · · Score: 2

    Steam is in nearly constant use in my house and never had an issue accessing PayPal. The price I pay them for access is horrible but in general I don't have Internet access issues through Comcast.

    --
    Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son.