how-to block ads
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Anonguy
@dotplex.de
| Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets »www.bresnan.com/customize/
Bresnan is moving forward with a product that is "in-line" in their backbone that actively intercepts all packets and inserts ads "relevant" to your "browsing habits, location etc". They are putting up a great front at the above listed webpage stating that you can “opt-out”. Notice that when you “opt-out” all that happens is a cookie is downloaded to your browser that allows you to not use the ads they’d like to implant. This is local to only the PC/MAC that you are on, and does nothing for the rest of your computers if you are sharing your internet connection between a NAT/router device of some kind.
Now to clarify that, what that means is that they are still actively intercepting your packets and data, just not giving you the ads.
What you really need to be concerned about though is the fact that if you are a VoIP subscriber through Bresnan your VoIP packets are also traversing these links. Think about this… What if this device has a major issue and you need to place an e911 call. How’s that for quality? This includes Bresnan’s very own “Digital Phone Service”.
Here is a fun little snippet from the “Interception Company’s” policy
Information Sharing
While *interceptioncompany* does not require or process any end-user personally-identifiable information for the purpose of delivering advertisements, our partners may have different privacy practices than our own. We encourage you to read our partners’ individual privacy policies.
Occasionally, we may share with third parties certain pieces of aggregated, non-personal information about end-users, such as the number of users who visited a certain website, or how many of them clicked on a particular advertisement. This information does not identify end-users individually.
We sometimes use third party contractors who may be given access to any information we have so they may perform tasks that might otherwise be done by our employees. These contractors, however, have no rights to use such information for purposes other than to perform services for us, and are required to hold such information in strict confidence.
We may also disclose information we have collected when we have a good-faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to:
* Satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request
* Enforce applicable Terms of Services including investigation of potential violations thereof
* Detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, or technical issues
* Protect against imminent harm to and individual’s safety or rights
If *interceptioncompany* becomes involved in a merger, acquisition, or any form of sale of a majority or all of its assets, any information we have collected may be one of the assets transferred.
Information Security
*interceptioncompany* is committed to protecting all our data from unauthorized access or disclosure. Access to the anonymous information that *interceptioncompany* collects is restricted to *interceptioncompany* employees, contractors, and agents who require access to that information in order to operate, develop, or improve our services. These individuals are bound by strict confidentiality obligations and may be subject to disciplinary action, including termination and criminal prosecution, if they fail to meet these obligations. | |
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cablegeek01
join:2003-05-13
Canon City, CO
| Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets "What you really need to be concerned about though is the fact that if you are a VoIP subscriber through Bresnan your VoIP packets are also traversing these links. Think about this… What if this device has a major issue and you need to place an e911 call. How’s that for quality? This includes Bresnan’s very own “Digital Phone Service”."
While I have my own feelings about directed advertising, I'd like to offer a little insight about this.
Although the device is in line with the CMTS, there are redundant links around it in case of failure.
It's also protocol specific. HTTP traffic and SIP/VoIP traffic are handled with different QoS values, and different priorities. This will have no effect on your Vonage, Skype, or Bresnan phone service.
Furthermore, the Bresnan Core network has a series of redundant links, and fail over/hot standby devices. A failure of the ad server would most likely be invisible to the end user. You are much more likely to be affected by a failure or impairment of the cable system due to environmental or physical (a car hitting a telephone pole) event than a hardware failure.
Getting back to the ad tailoring; while I'm personally not a fan of it, the ad tailoring is much less invasive than what several other (large) ISPs are currently doing.
At least Bresnan doesn't engage in destination based traffic prioritization, or packet shaping (they don't limit or delay P2P traffic, or streaming applications like video or music).
While you do tend to get the "big brother is watching" feeling when you hear about this stuff, you need to realize that there is no personal information being stored or transmitted. Another note is that this type of technology has been in use by most major ISPs, and even ad supported search sites like google for years now.
My personal feeling is that although I'd rather not see any ads on the internet (and not see any, even minimally invasive monitoring), at least this will give me ads that I might have some interest in. | |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
 ·Verizon Online DSL
 ·Skype
| Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets They've taken pains not to mention NebuAd by name, but it is NebuAd. The script they use for OptOut mentions a.faireagle.com, and faireagle.com is a NebuAd company.
See lines 347 and 348 of the attached. | |
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fllw_fan
@bresnan.net
| said by cablegeek01  :"What you really need to be concerned about though is the fact that if you are a VoIP subscriber through Bresnan your VoIP packets are also traversing these links." Bresnan's digital phone service is not VoIP. It is a standard POTS switch. Bresnan uses IDT as a third party provider for access to the PSTN and the 9-1-1 database. There is no packet disruption because the digital phone is not VoIP telephony. Bresnan is just another ALEC. | |
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Anonymous Coward
@bresnan.net
| Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets Upon opting out with Bresnan, I was no longer able to access my eBay account, Kitco's site, or Yahoo search. Anybody using Bresnan needs to files complaints with every rep they can on both the State and Federal level regarding whether their practices are even legal. The more people who actually get off their duffs and complain, the better chance of somebody encouraging Bresnan to stop like they did Charter | |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC | Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets I can't think of why that would be. Is anyone else on Bresnan having the same problem? | |
| koolkid1563
Premium,MVM
join:2005-11-06
Powell, WY
clubs: | The page to opt out isn't even up anymore. I have sent an E-mail to tech support asking how one would opt out now. I will update this when/if I hear something back. | |
| | | | | koolkid1563
Premium,MVM
join:2005-11-06
Powell, WY
clubs: | Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets If that is the case, then how would one go about opting out of the Ask.com error redirects? There is still something there... | |
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funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype
| Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets That one I can't help you with.
I laugh when I visit the www.bresnan.com web site. The logo has the tag line "It's personal!"
...my immediate thought is, "more personal than anyone knows"
--
Robb Topolski -= funchords.com =- Hillsboro, Oregon
More fun, more features, Join BroadbandReports.com, it's free...
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| | | | | koolkid1563
Premium,MVM
join:2005-11-06
Powell, WY
clubs:
 ·Bresnan Online
| Re: Bresnan actively intercepting ALL packets I am getting nowhere with Bresnan tech support. All they can tell me is to change my DNS servers, which I have done. They also say it is my browser's default search engine doing it. If that were truly the case, it would not say "You were sent to Ask.com by Bresnan". Considering my browser's search engine is set for google and nothing else, there is no way it would bring up ask.com on it's own.
I intend to get to the bottom of this some how... | |
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