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Major internet providers, including AT&T, Time Warner and Verizon, are slowing data from popular websites to thousands of US businesses and residential customers in dozens of cities across the country, according to a study released on Monday.
The study, conducted by internet activists BattlefortheNet, looked at the results from 300,000 internet users and found significant degradations on the networks of the five largest internet service providers (ISPs), representing 75% of all wireline households across the US.
The findings come weeks after the Federal Communications Commission introduced new rules meant to protect “net neutrality” – the principle that all data is equal online – and keep ISPs from holding traffic speeds for ransom.
Tim Karr of Free Press, one of the groups that makes up BattlefortheNet, said the findings show ISPs are not providing content to users at the speeds they’re paying for.
“For too long, internet access providers and their lobbyists have characterized net neutrality protections as a solution in search of a problem,” said Karr. “Data compiled using the Internet Health Test show us otherwise – that there is widespread and systemic abuse across the network. The irony is that this trove of evidence is becoming public just as many in Congress are trying to strip away the open internet protections that would prevent such bad behavior.”
By taking the Internet Health Test, everyday Internet users helped build the data set that lead to these discoveries.
The Web We Want invites cartoonists, creatives and artists to join The Day We Fight Back on February 11, 2014 by creating an original cartoon about online surveillance and the right to privacy. The cartoons should help increase awareness about the NSA and demand accountability for mass digital surveillance in a way that makes people want to click and share.
Bad news: Comcast just announced that it’s buying Time Warner Cable.
No one woke up this morning wishing their cable company was bigger or had more control over what they watch and how they get online. But that’s the reality we’ll face unless the DoJ and the FCC do their jobs and block this merger.
Tell the FCC and DoJ to stop this merger: http://bit.ly/1oqolLw
In February, we won strong Net Neutrality protections, banning Internet Service providers from blocking or throttling any website. But how do we know they’re behaving?
The Internet Health Test checks your connection for signs of any degradation at all. With enough people taking part around the country every day, we can make sure that ISPs don’t get away with breaking the rules.
The team over at BattleForTheNet shared early data results for an exclusive piece in The Guardian:
The study […] looked at the results from 300,000 internet users and found significant degradations on the networks of the five largest internet service providers (ISPs), representing 75% of all wireline households across the US.
Tim Karr of Free Press talked more about the IHT and its early results over on the official Free Press site:
This is one of your best chances to hold your ISP accountable. The information the test collects is critical to protecting your online rights.
M-Labs, which compiled and analyzed the data, also released a more detailed explanation of their initial findings.
The more data that is collected on this, the better. You can help by taking the Internet Health test yourself – it’s quick and easy.
[Click here for more information on the Internet Health Test.]
Judging from her campaign contributions, it’s easy to see why Rep. Marsha Blackburn wants to end Net Neutrality.
Sign this petition to stop Blackburn and others in Congress from ruining Net Neutrality: http://bit.ly/1Mv2xHX
The FCC is proposing rules that would kill Net Neutrality.
We can’t let this happen.
Word has leaked that FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is building a new Frankenstein proposal that’s not Net Neutrality.
The plan is convoluted with too many of the huge problems we’ve been protesting against all year.
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