"While cable companies so far have shied away from blocking Web sites outright, some have limited home networks, banned file-sharing services or imposed other restrictions, said Andrew Afflerbach, principal engineer at Columbia Telecommunications, which was hired by the ACLU to analyze the issue. Innovation is stifled as new uses are discouraged, said Mark Cooper, director of the Consumer Federation of America.
"Why bother to develop a service if the gatekeeper will determine whether or not they will let it go?" Cooper said. "The policy destroys the innovation before it happens." " |
