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Setting the Record Straight on Tor

corporate.comcast.com

41–50 of 56 posts

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That would imply that they don't even have a log of what requests are passing through their system. I find that extremely hard to believe. They damn well better not be.

"Comcast did not respond to our inquiries but has mentioned a 180 day retention policy for IP-addresses in BitTorrent-related court documents. On some occasions cases have been dismissed because logs were no longer available, meaning that alleged infringers could not be identified. The 180 day policy is also mentioned in the Comcast Law Enforcement Handbook that leaked in 2007." https://torrentfreak.com/how-long-does…

> Comcast did not respond to our inquiries but has mentioned a 180 day retention policy for IP-addresses in BitTorrent-related court documents.

That sounds like they keep the DHCP logs for that long, i.e. which subscriber's router was assigned a particular IP address at a particular time. That's a far cry from logging actual traffic.

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#42
post #32

We do not terminate customers for violating the Copyright Alert System (aka "six strikes"), which is a non-punitive, educational and voluntary copyright program. Since when is this "voluntary"? I'm guessing in that if you choose not to subscribe to any ISP, I guess you wouldn't be 'enrolled' in the program, but you also wouldn't have internet service, about as 'voluntary' as breathing is to life.

It's voluntary in that the ISP is not forced into using it. They just force you to use it.

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#43
post #4

> Comcast doesn’t monitor our customer’s browser software, web surfing or online history. I'd take this as evidence they monitor every connection that isn't over http ... which happens to include VPNs and Tor. Otherwise, they would have just said "We do not monitor your internet connection except to gather aggregate statistics for billing purposes".

What about "online history" indicates that they only mean HTTP? Online encompasses a lot more than the World Wide Web.

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#44
post #39
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There haven't been any recordings. There was one supposed chat transcript posted to /r/darknetmarkets.

Supposedly posted to /r/darknetmarkets. I haven't seen any links to actual posts yet. I did do a quick search of the sub for comcast, and found nothing. I don't see why the darknetmarkets mods would delete it, and the only other explanation is that it's entirely made up.

[deleted]

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#45
post #39
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There haven't been any recordings. There was one supposed chat transcript posted to /r/darknetmarkets.

Supposedly posted to /r/darknetmarkets. I haven't seen any links to actual posts yet. I did do a quick search of the sub for comcast, and found nothing. I don't see why the darknetmarkets mods would delete it, and the only other explanation is that it's entirely made up.

http://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarkets/comments/2g2e44/is_co...

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#46
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably a restriction imposed by HBO because they have been so terrified of loosing their content into non-traditional outlets.

Definitely not this. HBO has written an app specifically for the Roku. As far as I can tell, Comcast is the only provider who disallows access to the Roku version of the app. I can use the HBO Android app with Comcast just fine and push to a Chromecast, but not the Roku. It's a ridiculous situation, Comcast is intentionally blocking Roku while HBO is embracing it.

Ahh, I stand corrected then.

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#47
post #10

Today we should be thankful that our ruler has a good policy on Tor. Should they change their mind we could do nothing about it.

The only way to change this is to make it so that enough people are using (mutually-indistinguishable) encrypted protocols, that blocking such protocols would cripple the ISP's business.

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Comcast doesn’t monitor our customer’s browser software, web surfing or online history." That would imply that they don't even have a log of what requests are passing through their system. I find that extremely hard to believe.

Why would a road keep a copy of cars that traverse it? The 'requests' aren't addressed to Comcast, they are addressed to... well, news.ycombinator.com for example.

Because its traffic lights use video cameras for input, those developers had to debug the system somehow, management kept the functionality enabled because there might be a business case some day, and storage is always getting cheaper.

(I'm not saying it's good.)

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#49
I know it's a word vomit blast, but tried to post this comment on the page; I doubt it'll get approved or replied to...

" ...educational and voluntary copyright program." -- volunteer, hum, afaik and from what I recall from seeing these in the past; by clicking on any of the links in one of those emails, you are admitting guilt. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I take it that if you respond to these you admit that you downloaded something & if you just ignore there is nothing you (comcast) can do to prove otherwise (what if you have an open network, share your key with friends, etc.) Likewise, who would want to volunteer for a program that profiles what their downloading. While you say you don't "terminate" users based on copyright infringement, the fact is that you are monitoring your users to differentiate who's doing what. I don't want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but I don't believe this PR stunt. I know it means nothing, since I'm from the internet (and who should take me seriously), but I've been a corporate customer, and have worked with residential users of comcast, and would not doubt nefarious monitoring. If you would like anyone to take you seriously proof would be nice, not just a inconsequential mess of "yeah, we promise we're not monitoring you, and I, Jason, am using tor, so it's okay." For one you're the VP, no one would dare step on your toes, you don't count! "

Re: Setting the Record Straight on Tor

#50
post #45
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Supposedly posted to /r/darknetmarkets. I haven't seen any links to actual posts yet. I did do a quick search of the sub for comcast, and found nothing. I don't see why the darknetmarkets mods would delete it, and the only other explanation is that it's entirely made up.

http://www.reddit.com/r/DarkNetMarkets/comments/2g2e44/is_co...

Thanks. Guess it is there after all, and either reddit search is lame, or I'm lazy. Possibly both.

ETA: Just checked it again, noticed that the OP of that thread deleted his account. Could be he wanted anonymity, or could be that he made it all up. Hmm...

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