NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Re: Google Hijacked -- Major ISP to Intercept and Modify Web Pages
I would assert that Google's "Safer Searching" feature is not relevant to this discussion. They're simply providing a warning page *before* redirecting to a particular search result that they themselves have generated, for a user who has chosen to use Google. Google is not modifying the content of the target site as displayed, nor is Google acting as an Internet access ISP in the first place. Apples and oranges. Now, for the sake of the argument, if one wishes to suggest that the *only* effective mechanism an ISP has to reach users with account information is through their Web browsers, then ISPs could choose to simply display a click-through splash page once at the beginning of a session, much as pay Wifi hotspots do for user logins. But I believe that's pretty much academic. I really don't think that ISPs are generally going to invest in Web page modification equipment just to warn people when they're getting close to a bandwidth cap. A look at the PerfTech home page ( http://www.perftech.com ) shows clearly what this is all really about: "Reach any subscriber, anywhere they browse" "Revolutionize your Subscriber Communications while realizing the unlimited potential of In-Browser Marketing..." "Promotion Insertion" "Ad Insertion" "Message displays no matter where the subscriber browses" "Sophisticated targeting, tracking, and scheduling" Yes, there are other applications listed too. But the focus on the new income streams derived from intercepting and modifying user data is obvious. --Lauren-- NNSquad Moderator - - - > On Sat, 8 Dec 2007, Lauren Weinstein wrote: > > Google Hijacked -- Major ISP to Intercept and Modify Web Pages > > > > http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000337.html > > > > [ Due to highly relevant screen capture content, please see the link > > above to read this item. Thanks! ] > > Its probably only fair to also report on Google's "Safer Searching" > program which inserts warning popup messages before forwarding users to > particular web sites <http://www.stopbadware.org/> > > Claiming Google only has two choices, either providing no information > at all to retain its liability protection or being responsible for > all illegal and bad stuff it indexes is a bit of a strawman choice. > > Unlike the postal system and the telephone system which have developed > many ways to add additional information, the Internet is severly lacking. > The post office adds stamp to letters with all sorts of messages about > postage due, return to sender, disaster area - no forwarding address, > and even cute "advertising-like" cancellations. The telephone system has > multiple types of busy signals and special information messages about all > circuits are busy, line restricted to only emergency calls, due to an > earthquake in the area please wait and try your call later. > > It would be great if folks would come up with better ways for applications > to pass along additional information to the user from different layers of > the communications. > > Yes, Rogers could simply cut-off the user's Internet access when their > account balance reaches $0.00 without any warning or information about > what happened. That might satisfy some network-neutrality folks, but > may be annoying for ordinary users trying to figure out why their > Internet "broke." > > Instead of just throwing away letters without the right postage, or > dropping your pay telephone call when you forget to deposit enough money, > it may be preferrable to modify the letter using a postage due stamp or > interrupt the telephone call with a message from the operator to please > deposit additional money to continue the call. > > How should ISPs communicate those types of messages to users, when the > Internet protocols and applications haven't yet evolved to provide a way? >