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CenturyLink Blocked Its Customers' Internet Access in Order To Show an Ad (arstechnica.com)
CenturyLink briefly disabled the Internet connections of customers in Utah last week and allowed them back online only after they acknowledged an offer to purchase filtering software. From a report: CenturyLink falsely claimed that it was required to do so by a Utah state law that says ISPs must notify customers "of the ability to block material harmful to minors." In fact, the new law requires only that ISPs notify customers of their filtering software options "in a conspicuous manner"; it does not say that the ISPs must disable Internet access until consumers acknowledge the notification. The law even says that ISPs may make the notification "with a consumer's bill," which shouldn't disable anyone's Internet access.
Coincidentally, CenturyLink's blocking of customer Internet access occurred days before the one-year anniversary of the Federal Communications Commission repeal of net neutrality rules, which prohibited blocking and throttling of Internet access. "Just had CenturyLink block my Internet and then inject this page into my browser... to advertise their paid filtering software to me," software engineer and Utah resident Rich Snapp tweeted on December 9. "Clicking OK on the notice then restored my Internet... this is NOT okay!"
Coincidentally, CenturyLink's blocking of customer Internet access occurred days before the one-year anniversary of the Federal Communications Commission repeal of net neutrality rules, which prohibited blocking and throttling of Internet access. "Just had CenturyLink block my Internet and then inject this page into my browser... to advertise their paid filtering software to me," software engineer and Utah resident Rich Snapp tweeted on December 9. "Clicking OK on the notice then restored my Internet... this is NOT okay!"
Hitler did nothing wrong.
Did you die?
Every day it seems I see more and more real news articles that look like they belong on The Onion.
Just remember that when providers find new and innovative ways provide services that make them more money.
If you voted for Trump... It's perfectly OK!!
If you voted for Trump, this is exactly what you should want to happen!
In many countries, the wiretapping and modification of private communication is illegal, and such activities could result in massive fines and/or prison time for those involved. Food for thought.
A government is a body of people notably ungoverned - AC
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That is NOT OK.
We're in the phase of a civilization where people get ridiculous, right before the collapse.
It happened a while back, Interrupting my experence on the internet forcing me to make a decision if i wanted a porn block or not (fuck no).
it does not say that the ISPs must disable Internet access until consumers acknowledge the notification. The law even says that ISPs may make the notification "with a consumer's bill," which shouldn't disable anyone's Internet access.
First, what they did actually complies with Subsection (1)(b)(ii)(A). We may not like their approach, but it does comply with the law. Go read the law, it is a rather sparse 5 pages.
Coincidentally, CenturyLink's blocking of customer Internet access occurred days before the one-year anniversary of the Federal Communications Commission repeal of net neutrality rules, which prohibited blocking and throttling of Internet access.
Second, the proximity to the anniversary of the NN deregulation is both specious and disingenuous. If you know anything about how corporations work you know that legal compliance is an exercise in minimization. The CenturyLink corporate counsel (probably more than one) had to weigh in on this and conclude that this was done in a way that both met the requirements of the law and also did not expose the company to additional liability. It probably had to clear multiple similar hurdles.
So, just like I do when a programmer implements a spec and I look at the product and say, "wow that was wrong," my first thought is always, "the spec must be defective." Granted, there are times where the programmer just makes the wrong choice, but more often than not, the spec really is deficient. If it was a whole team of programmers that produced the wrong thing then the only sensible conclusion is that the spec was faulty.
In this case, the army of lawyers came to a conclusion on a course of action that is making people say, "wow, that cannot be right.". Based on my earlier reasoning, the law is poorly written.
I was in the mist of rebooting my Tivo Roamo box, and it simply wouldn't complete its network setup. I spent a good 30 minutes diagnosing my home network. It was getting its IP address via DHCP fine, was pingable, etc....
Its only when I went to the URL that the Tivo was telling me to visit that I ran into the "ad" (I'm in Utah). Sure enough, as soon as I acknowledged the ad, my Tivo was able to connect to the Tivo service. I found it more than a bit annoying that CenturyLink blocked my Internet access and forced me to read an ad for basically web filtering software. I don't have a copy of the ad anymore, but from what I remember, it was mostly talking about blocking porn.
So this blocked more than simple web browsing.
Centurylink may not have been required by "law" to block access until a specific acknowledgement was given, but it was certainly required by the litigiousness of our decrepit society to do so.
Without it, you know there would be a class action lawsuit claiming someone's child was harmed by porn because CenturyLink failed to show them their filtering options. By forcing acknowledgement, they are covering their butts against such a suit.
The geniuses at Centurylink think the internet is the same thing as http on a browser. Blocking internet access and redirecting http traffic until you agree to terms breaks:
Streaming devices.
Security systems.
Cameras
Skype
VoIP
Remote access (think DVR, thermostats, and any other remotely controlled device)
So if you're away on vacation and you have monitoring systems setup to alert you of thieves or freezing temps in the house, Centurylink will break this stuff until you get home and click on a web page!
No ISP would be stupid enough to do this unless it was legally required - which it was by Utah law. Network neutrality as regulation will bring MORE insane interpretations of how an ISP should be have like this one - not fewer.
In short if you like ISP's cutting off access for idiotic messaging from the state, then my all means push for more regulation of the internet.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
What level of management said this was OK to do?
And was this simply the cheapest alternative?
Most people don't read their bills unless there is a significant discrepancy in the amount due, so if there is no regularion saying you can't do this, maybe someone said "hey, here's a way we can ensure all our customers read the ad and this will be more likely to generate revenue".
So what all did they block in doing this?
Did VoIP phones stop working? Did ssh tunnels break? Did VPN connections go down? Did NetFlix get blocked? Did email access go down? If someone is on vacation, will their homes freeze if their thermostats can't connect? Will security systems fail?
Did they block access on an IP level or DNS? DId they mess only with port 80? If they tried to redirect on 443, then the browsers wouldn't display due to the certificate mismatch, but most sites are https now. Are users who set their DNS to another provider unaffected?
Depending on how they put in the notification, they may have left most non-browser stuff working, or they may have risked property damage by disabling smart home devices.
The linked story has no details.
Ahh, but article does link to reddit, where reports are that they're only intercepting port 80. I very rarely access anything over port 80. If that's accurate, then anything impacted by the change is broken. I wonder how many people haven't noticed, as all the major sites are fully https?
Isn't CenturyLink the telecom with the extensive history in secretly downsizing employees' pensions?
Flip phone web navigation uses tab order. Unless a website did something with script that would constitute an ADA or Section 508 violation, it should be possible to tab to the button to leave the captive portal.
As stuff like this can mess with VPN tunnels and lead to odd errors on things that don't have an full browser.
What about remote systems that just have an internet link and some server that without an local user to log into.
Mormon porn comes in two types. One fetishizes the "temple garment" underwear. The other is swimsuit photography covered with a bubble-shaped solid color mask to help a dirty mind fill in the blanks.
Yes I read the summary. The point was this is how the ISP interpreted this law, particularly the "in a conspicuous manner" part. Therefore, other laws like network neutrality, may lead to other equally stupid interpretations on behalf of ISP's - exactly what I said in my first post, if you had simply paid attention to what I was saying.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Even overlooking CenturyLink's failure to realize that not just web browsers connect to the Internet, what assurance do they have that the person clicking the OK button is anyone in a position to make a decision on whether or not that household should have their filtering software? Some kid in the house could have been the first one to see and acknowledge it.
That will stop this from being possible.
Instead of the ad, all you'd seen in your browser is a security warning that someone is trying to hijack your connection - someone like your ISP.
My name is GayPK and I'm gay!! Woooooooo!
I love 8=======D. I said I loooooooooove 8========D
Superbowl?? more like buy our cable tv for error free viewing. Ha with no network nuatrlay they can slow down 3rd party video and have an pop ad saying DON'T MISS OUT ON THE BIG GAME WITH COMCRAP TV!
Get no caps for TV USE / FULL HD / NO buffering.
This is FCC Chief Ajit Pai's dream come true.
What about an SLA and an outage due to this?? will they have to pay out over that? or is drive to your office and open an web bower from an local system covers there ass.
I know everyone's first reaction is to get upset about this, but given just how truly, awfully invasively this was done, coupled with the timing. I truly think we have the greatest BOFH since I don't know when on our hands here.
How many of you would have been able to devise something this awe-inspiring if your boss came to you & said "we need try to send this notification to all our users & see if we can sell them some filtering software"?
I mean it - the person that did this deserves recognition.
I'm a Centrylink customer in Utah and I didn't see this popup. However, I also use PfSense's dns resolver so maybe that had something to do with it.
If you're a CenturyLink customer in Utah and you haven't received any other notification of this blocking service and you don't use port 80 between now and December 31 2018, CenturyLink will be in violation of the new law as they haven't informed you of this optional service.
They're liable for a fine of $10,000
âoeNo ISP would be stupid enough to...â
ha ha oh boy, someone has never dealt with CenturyLink.
If the government had not passed that law, would there have been any blocking by the ISP to present an ad they did not need to present? No, of course not.
So the government WAS the cause of that ad and the blocking it caused.
I'll let you have the last response since this is crystal clear and undeniable - even though you'll try, what is the point of further discussion around something so obvious?
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
See subject: For the 5th or more time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
APK
P.S.=> Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, that's fact, I'm not gay... apk
When they disable my internet without warning and suddenly my 911 calls over my VoIP line don't work any more!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
I'm in Utah and a couple of weeks ago got a text message from my cell provider explaining I could install an app that would help protect minors from harmful materials. At the time I was a bit shaken and couldn't understand why I was singled out for that. I hadn't heard of the law until now and I'm pleased to know the message wasn't a warning about my personal internet use. Whew!
THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR LIES NAZI FAGGOT KEN DOLL
Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING. Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.
See subject: For the 5th or more time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
Additonally - ENJOY YOUR DOWNMOD.
APK
P.S.=> Lastly: Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, that's fact, I'm not gay... apk
THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES FOR YOUR LIES NAZI FAGGOT PROPAGANDIST KEN DOLL
Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING. Filter error: Don't use so many caps. It's like YELLING.
Their system crashed a couple of times leaving me this nugget. /http:\/\/$host\/index.html\?wgsid=([^&]*)(?:&wgurl=(.*))*/ ) {
$wg->session_id($1);
$wgurl = $2;
} else {
$wg->session_id('NO_SESSION_ID');
}
my $url = 'http://customer.notify.centurylink.com/utah_restore_internet.html';
# Allow override for debug/testing/demo
if( $wg->is_internal_ip( $wg->remote_ip() )) {
my $uname = $cgi->param('uname');
if( defined $uname and $uname =~ /^[A-Za-z0-9]{4,16}$/ ) {
$wg->uid( $uname );
} else {
$wg->uid('accounttest');
}
}
# Perform redirect
my $uname = $wg->uid();
my $tn = $wg->wtn();
if( $@ or $wg->err() ne '' ) {
$wg->log_it( "$uname ($tn) ERROR: Self-release redirected to error.html" );
print redirect( -uri => '/error.html' );
} elsif( $uname eq 'mnlabppp06' or $uname eq 'wgtest-hlrn' or $uname eq 'wgtest-mpls' or $uname eq 'wgtest-stpl') {
$wg->log_it( "Test user $uname - skipping self-release" );
print redirect( -uri => $url );
mark_wall_user_out($tn,$uname);
} elsif( $wg->is_internal_ip( $wg->remote_ip() )) {
$wg->log_it( "$uname ($tn) Internal ip quickout'ed. Not released or DB updated." );
$wg->bigip_quickout();
print header( -type => 'text/plain' );
print "Would now be redirected to $url";
} else {
if ( self_release() ) {
$wg->log_it( "$uname ($tn): Self-released" );
} else {
$wg->log_it( "$uname ($tn): ERROR: Self-release failed." );
}
print redirect( -uri => $url );
mark_wall_user_out($tn,$uname);
}
sub self_release {
# Update BigIP quickout table depending and initiate releasing customer from walled garden
my $quickout_time = shift; # Value in seconds
$quickout_time ? $wg->bigip_quickout($quickout_time) : $wg->bigip_quickout();
$wg->release();
} # End self_release
sub mark_wall_user_out {
my $tn = shift;
my $uname = shift;
my $tn1;
my $tn2;
if ( $tn =~ /:/ ) {
($tn1,$tn2) = split(/:/, $tn);
} else {
$tn1 = $tn;
$tn2 = 0;
}
my $sql = q( UPDATE state_of_utah
SET wg_out_time = NOW(), end_process = NOW(), wg_status = 'COMPLETE'
WHERE tn = ? AND notice_year = YEAR(curdate() )
);
$wg->log_it( "$uname ($tn): Self-released" );
my $result = $wg->do_db_write( $sql,$tn1 );
if ( $result->{RowsChanged} > 0 ) {
$wg->log_it( "User $uname ($tn) mark_wall_user_out update successful." );
return 1;
} else {
$wg->log_it( "ERROR: User $uname ($tn) mark_wall_user_out update failed with tn $tn1. SQL: $sql" );
if ( $tn2 ) {
# Attempt to update db table with 2nd bonded TN if first TN failed
$result = $wg->do_db_write( $sql,$tn2 );
if ( $result->{RowsChanged} > 0 ) {
$wg->log_it( "User $uname ($tn) mark_wall_user_out update successful with 2nd tn $tn2." );
return 1;
} else {
$wg->log_it( "ERROR: User $uname ($tn) mark_wall_user_out update failed with tn $tn2. SQL: $sql" );
}
}
return 0;
}
} # End mark_wall_user_out
Sorry I have no clue how to make it formated nicely.
#!/usr/bin/perl use warnings; use strict; use CGI qw/:standard/; use WalledGarden; my $CACHETIME = 3600; our %config; do '/etc/wg.conf'; my $wg = WalledGarden->new(); my $cgi = CGI->new(); my $UD = new Cache::Memcached { 'namespace' => 'excessive_use', 'servers' => $config{ 'memcached_servers' }, 'debug' => 0, 'compress_threshold' => 10_000, }; # Parse the incoming URL string my $host = $ENV{HTTP_HOST}; my $referer = $ENV{HTTP_REFERER}; my $wgurl; if( $referer =~
Kendall is a known lying faggot since forever. Don't feed the idiot.
This is just a 'fuck you, because we can' move. Never mind Tweedy Pai and the FCC. Shareholders need to short any company that risks political retribution by pulling childish crap like this.
Have gnu, will travel.
See subject: For the 10th++ time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
Additonally - ENJOY YOUR DOWNMOD.
APK
P.S.=> Lastly: Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, it's fact - I'm not gay... apk
If my ISP ever does this to me, I will not acknowledge anything. I will however call them up, let them know my service has stopped working, and cancel my account with them.
Why is this news?
I've been on a shared connection with Century Link as the primary. Whenever traffic stops flowing I have to manually go outside HTTPS and as soon as I am I am redirected to a page from Century Link saying the connection has been flagged for using torrenting software to possibly download movies.
This happens at schools and the libraries here all the time and once or twice on a neighbors wifi connection.
Fact is this is how Century Link notifies people. It's not unusual for them. It's there default.
Why is anyone surprised they would do this to try and sell you porn blockers?
Would be great to be away from home and no longer able to access my network because nobody is there to find / load / click on an ad.
Just in case you thought that this won't affect you: CenturyLink owns one of the largest global backbone operators in the world, Level 3 Communications. When Level 3 and Cogent spat over peering terms, the world watches these tier 1 network operators and the internet slows down.
Are they the only ISP in Utah? If not, tell them to piss up a rope and switch to another provider. I'd rather send a message that way then expect any politician to do something that helps their constituents.
See subject: For the 10th++ time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
Additonally - ENJOY YOUR DOWNMOD.
APK
P.S.=> Lastly: Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, it's fact - I'm not gay... apk
See subject: For the 10th++ time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
Additonally - ENJOY YOUR DOWNMOD.
APK
P.S.=> Lastly: Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, it's fact - I'm not gay... apk
See subject: For the 10th++ time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
Additonally - ENJOY YOUR DOWNMOD.
APK
P.S.=> Lastly: Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, it's fact - I'm not gay... apk
problem solved. need to start making these fuckers afraid to do shit like this.
The thing you cannot seem to grasp is simple cause and effect. Yes they COULD have complied differently, but they did not. They complied only in reaction to what the government demanded; without that demand there would have been no action.
Hopefully that is simple enough even for the dullards here on Slashdot to grasp, now I am truly done having done my duty to inform and educate.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Sounds like hacking of a protected computer system to me.
Through the fuckers in prison. Or better yet take them out in the parking lot and shoot them.
SO SAD.
Oh wait. It's not. HA HA!
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See subject: For the 10th++ time you've done this today? GROW UP fool - apply your energies to more constructive things instead.
* I've noticed an "uptick" in you doing it EVER SINCE I ANNOUNCED I'm getting a Mac on the 21st to PORT my already MULTIPLATFORM program to Macs:
APK Hosts File Engine 2.0++ 64-bit for Linux h t t p : / / a p k . i t - m a t e . c o . u k / A P K H o s t s F i l e E n g i n e F o r L i n u x . z i p (remove spaces between chars & download)
APK Hosts File Engine 10++ SR-1 32/64-bit for Windows https://hosts-file.net/?s=Down... (DL link @ bottom)
(Bet THAT's it, lol - you could do the same you know vs. being a troll... think about it).
Additonally - ENJOY YOUR DOWNMOD.
APK
P.S.=> Lastly: Sorry to disappoint you, again: I'm not homosexual & though THAT may 'upset' your "StRaNgE-PhaNtaSiEs" you apparently HAVE about ME? LOL, it's fact - I'm not gay... apk