IP: Qwest forces residential customers to MSN

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2001 12:10:57 -0600 (MDT)
> From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat org>
> To: dave () farber net
>
>
> Qwest recently announced that all residential Qwest.net customers will be
> transferred, willy-nilly, to The Microsoft Network (see
> http://www.qwest.net/nav4/msn/faq.html). If the customers do not transfer
> of their own accord before November, they will be transferred anyway.
>
> This begs the question:  What if consumers do not want their personal
> information shared with Microsoft, which can then (presumably) attempt to
> market to them, track their comings and goings on the Internet, etc.?  Does
> the local telephone company -- to which one must entrust sensitive personal
> information in order to get service -- have the right to give this information
> to a third party without explicit consent? Why does Qwest believe that it can
> do this without permission when even a defunct .com can't?
>
> --Brett Glass



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