Comcast really does block BitTorrent traffic after all | The Iconoclast - politics, law, and technology - CNET News.com Here is another example of the fallacy of "The Internet" as a single entity. In many ways the Internet is like a hologram. What you see depends on where you are. Many web sites will charge higher prices to you if you are coming from certain countries or certain zip codes. In this case, certain kinds of communications simply don't work if you are a Comcast customer.

The problem here is really informed consent, or false advertising. Users of Comcast reasonably assume that if they buy an "Internet" connection, they will get a connection to "the Internet". I think most reasonable people would assume this to include the use of any Internet applications or protocols which are not behaving in an illegal or abusive way. Comcast has been very closed mouthed about their actual policies for what and when they block access to services or content.

The fact that competition for broadband in many markets is more theoretical than real makes this particularly concerning.