New AT&T terms of service: We'll cut off your Internet connection for criticizing us

[kpete]

New AT&T terms of service: We'll cut off your Internet connection for criticizing us
Posted by Cory Doctorow, September 29, 2007

AT&T has brought down new Terms of Service for its network customers. From now on, AT&T can terminate your connection for conduct that "tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries." So AT&T customers aren't allowed to write/podcast/vlog critical things about AT&T, its billing-practices, or its cooperation with illegal NSA wiretapping, on pain of having their connections disconnected.

Link:
http://home.bellsouth.net/csbellsouth/s/s.dll?spage=cg/legal/att.htm&leg=tos
via:
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/09/29/new-att-terms-of-ser.html

[ck4829]

1. That's NSAT&T for you.

[Clark2008]

2. Glad I don't use them for phone or internet service

even though BellSouth is huge.

I use Knology.

AT&T can kiss my router.

[truedelphi]

12. The key questionmight be - does the servie that you do use go over their fiber optic networks?

IT might not even matter whether you are one of their customers or not.

[Kip Humphrey]

3. CRITICIZE THE CORPORATION AT YOUR PERIL!

[gateley]

4. It gets more oppressive every damn day. nt

[marmar]

5. Damn that Orwell fellow was prescient.....

:scared:

[liberal N proud]

6. The new America - No criticism allowed

You will not be able to criticize the government
You will not be able to criticize your employer
You will not be able to criticize your neighbor
You will not be able to criticize the church they will force you to attend.
You will not be able to criticize the companies you are forced to do business with

No criticism will be allowed in the new America

[glowing]

7. I use the cell phone service. I can't say they are any worse than

any of the other cell phone services. But then again, cell phone co. suck.

[lonestarnot]

13. Breaking news.

They gave up their customers for domestic spying. Worse than others? Not all did.

[Annces]

8. Nothing is holding them back anymore

The same with the auto company. They would just love to fire all those strikers.

[Selatius]

9. The ACLU is going to have a fucking field day with them.

Hello lawsuit.

[monmouth]

10. I just tried to post this great post on my bellsouth message board..No Can Do....

[Bitwit1234]

11. Well here goes all the lawsuits for discrimination.

If 2/3 of the people who are signed up sue. AT and T won't be around much longer would it. This is a form of discrimination pure and simple. The bush administration has not squelched all free speech yet. Only that pertaining to critizing bush. Does the bush administration OWN AT and T.

[Gman]

14. AT&T is being eaten alive by access line loss

yet their legal department (which is made up of lawyers that could not make it in private practice so they had to go find a job), finds ways to drive customers away.

For the life of me, I have no idea why AT&T/SBC/SWBell/et al is still in business. I guess for no other reason they are still in business because of their "cash cow" of embedded access lines. Still, that's the part of the business they are doing their dead level best to drive away.

[progressoid]

15. I'm surprised this type of thing didn't show up earlier.

Sort of an internet version of the restaurant sign, "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone".