Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Copyright Law Blogs -> Michael Geist

Copyright Law

: Michael Geist

Privacy Commissioner Enters Net Neutrality Fray

By Michael Geist

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada has entered the net neutrality debate with a submission to the CRTC network management hearing on the privacy implications of network management that uses deep packet inspection technologies (hat tip: P2PNet).  The submission notes concerns with several uses of DPI, including scanning Internet traffic for certain content such as spam, copyright infringing materials, and hate content as well as for monitoring traffic loads to measure network performance.  The Commissioner expresses the need to factor privacy into the network management issue, stating that:

"We respectfully submit that in order to advance the privacy objectives contained in the Act, telecommunications policy, decisions and regulation with respect to Internet traffic management practices in general, and DPI specifically, should consider the potentially invasive nature of DPI technology, and the manner in which it has been implemented by ISPs."

With regard to the Canadian ISP use of DPI, the Commissioner pulls no punches:

"There is concern that the implementation of DPI for Internet traffic management has been done in a manner that is less than transparent and potentially inconsistent with an individual's/consumer's expectations. There has been soem evidence in a number of jurisdictions suggesting that such technology has been used for 'unreasonable network management practices.'"

Full post as published by Michael Geist on February 23, 2009 (boomark / email).