Study says BitTorrent blocking is widespread
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The Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in Germany has released an interesting study about the extent to which Internet service providers are blocking access to popular BitTorrent file-sharing technology.
The Federal Communications Commission is investigating allegations that Comcast blocked some users from accessing the program, touching off the latest skirmish in the ongoing battle over so-called net neutrality. We recently wrote about Hollywood’s role in the debate.
The German researchers set-up an online tool with the intriguing Cold War-era name of Glasnost that allowed more than 8,000 BitTorrent users around the world to test whether their ISP was blocking their ability to share videos and other files through the program. The results are preliminary, and BitTorrent users can participate in the ongoing research here.
The study produced a cool map that...
... shows where the blocking took place from March 18 to May 15. Most of it was in the United States, with Comcast and Cox Communications leading the way. Although Comcast has said that it was only slowing BitTorrent traffic during peak periods to keep heavy users from slowing down the network, the Max Planck study said that manipulation of the program was taking place at all hours of the day.
The study already is adding some fuel to the fight in Washington over net neutrality. The digital rights group Public Knowledge is touting the study today as evidence that the FCC and Congress need to act to explicitly prohibit such behavior.
“This study is further proof that the largest cable companies are hiding behind ‘network management’ excuses when caught throttling the legitimate traffic of their customers,” Public Knowledge President Gigi B. Sohn said in a news release.
Comcast disputed the findings in an e-mail to The Times, saying:
Comcast does not, has not and will not block any websites or online applications, including peer-to-peer services like BitTorrent. We have acknowledged that we manage peer-to-peer traffic in a limited manner to minimize network congestion.
Comcast cited a March announcement that it would stop specifically targeting BitTorrent traffic by the end of the year. Cox also cried foul:
Cox allows the use of file-sharing and peer-to-peer services for uploads and downloads, and we allow access to all legal content, but we must manage the traffic impact of peer-to-peer services, as most ISPs do for the benefit of the customer. We’ll continue to seek even better ways to manage our network to ensure a high-quality experience for our customers.
-- Jim Puzzanghera
Puzzanghera, a staff writer, covers tech and media policy from Washington, D.C.
