Transit politics (Telus blocking sites it does not like)

Mon Jul 25 14:23:31 UTC 2005

At 10:05 AM 25/07/2005, Patrick W. Gilmore wrote:

>ISPs are not common carriers.  Look at your contract, I think you
>will find they are allowed to filter specific things if they feel
>necessary for a wide variety of reasons.

Infrastructure reasons yes. This is not an infrastructure issue.  As to 
whether or not an ISP is or is not a common carrier is still up for debate 
especially here in Canada.

>(I have not read the Telus
>contract, but such language is pretty standard.)
>
>Put another way: If the /32 in question was a spam source, would you
>feel the same?

Yes. I dont want them deciding that for me at the network layer. Besides, 
SPAM is more on the fence as to whether or not its an infrastructure issue. 
A spambot/zombie, yes thats infrastructure.  If they want to drop the 
advertisement, thats fine.  If they want to put in their contract that they 
will filter content they do not like politically, OK, I will vote with my 
feet.  If the material on those websites are illegal, there are established 
laws for dealing with it.

         ---Mike 