A while back, the EFF caught cable provider Comcast using basic hacking techniques to restrict the use of Bittorrent on their connection. This irritated a lot of people, not only illegal file sharers, but also the growing number of consumers who use the bittorrent technology for legitimate purposes, such as downloading Open Source software or getting quality, legal media from one of Bittorrent's many partners.
The EFF, ever vigilant, has created an excellent guide to "packet shaping", the technique that ISPs use to futz with your data. In a nutshell:
- You the consumer have the ability to monitor your connection for suspicious packets using a tool called Wireshark.
- People who catch their ISPs in the act can send evidence to the EFF, which will in turn help their case to take legal action against sneaky ISPs.
Check out the white paper at their site, complete with cute illustrations and explanations that just about anyone ought to be able to understand.
