I signed up for a new two-year contract with AT&T because I plan on getting an iPhone this year after it’s updated.
But that may not happen if AT&T goes through with its plans to filter content on its Internet lines. AT&T is an ISP, they shouldn’t be in the business of filtering traffic for any reason. This is exactly why we need net neutrality.
AT&T wants to stop people from doing unlawful acts on their network, but the solution they are proposing will surely lead to prior restraint and unintended consequences. Plus, they are not even legally obligated to do this filtering on behalf of content owners:
AT&T has talked about such plans since last summer. They represent a break with the current practice of U.S. Internet service providers, who are shielded by law from liability if their subscribers trade copyright files like movies.
They primarily want to filter out Bit Torrent files, but the problem is that the underlying technology for Bit Torrent is a great way for legal broadband content to be distributed. If AT&T blocks or filters this content, it could not only prevent people from doing illegal activities but also from doing legal activities. It would most likely prevent the proliferation of on-demand movies on the Internet.
If the content owners or the government want to go after people for specific violations that’s fine, but filtering out entire technologies because they could be used for illegal activities is just plain unAmerican — and bad for everyone.
If AT&T does this, not only will I not get an iPhone, but I’ll buy my way out of my contract and get a wireless carrier who isn’t so evil — and stupid.
Then they can filter all of my non-existent bandwidth and business all they want.