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AT&T’s plan to watch your Web browsing—and what you can do about it

 

If you have AT&T’s gigabit Internet service and wonder why it seems so affordable, here's the reason—AT&T is boosting profits by rerouting all your Web browsing to an in-house traffic scanning platform, analyzing your Internet habits, then using the results to deliver personalized ads to the websites you visit, e-mail to your inbox, and junk mail to your front door.

 

In a few select areas including Austin, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri—places where AT&T competes against the $70-per-month Google Fiber—Ma Bell offers its own $70-per-month "GigaPower" fiber-to-the-home Internet access. But signing up for the deal also opts customers in to AT&T’s “Internet Preferences” program, which gives the company permission to examine each customer’s Web traffic in exchange for a price that matches Google's.

Targeted ads lower the price of GigaPower in Austin, Texas.

AT&T charges at least another $29 a month ($99 total) to provide standalone Internet service that doesn’t perform this extra scanning of your Web traffic. The privacy fee can balloon to more than $60 for bundles including TV or phone service. Certain modem rental and installation fees also apply only to service plans without Internet Preferences.

 

It wouldn’t be accurate to say that paying extra gives customers "enhanced" privacy; paying those monthly fees that add up to hundreds of dollars more per year simply provides the same level of privacy customers would get from other Internet providers, or from AT&T’s slower DSL and fiber-to-the-node services.

 

“AT&T watches everything”

Some Ars readers think AT&T has gone too far. "Google watches you use Google services, AT&T watches everything and only matches Google's price. Scumbag AT&T," Ars forum member arkiel wrote.

 

“A customer may receive an ad or a promotion on behalf of an advertiser—through an ad network placement on a website or otherwise,” an AT&T spokesperson told Ars. “Customers’ personal information is never given to that advertiser.”

 

The personalized offers don't just appear on websites, they also come "via e-mail or through direct mail," AT&T says. "If you search for concert tickets, you may receive offers and ads related to restaurants near the concert venue. After you browse hotels in Miami, you may be offered discounts for rental cars there. If you are exploring a new home appliance at one retailer, you may be presented with similar appliance options from other retailers... if you search for a car online, you may receive an e-mail notifying you of a local dealership's sale."

You can't opt out from AT&T's e-mail spam without paying the higher price, so worried customers should make sure not to give AT&T a preferred e-mail address. "Based on your consent to receive ads and offers through AT&T Internet Preferences, we will continue to send you marketing e-mails related to the program. You may opt-out of receiving these e-mails by choosing not to participate in the AT&T Internet Preferences and switching to GigaPower Standard pricing," AT&T says.

 

AT&T describes Internet Preferences as “opt-in,” but its website advertises the lower price without mentioning the traffic scanning unless you click “See offer details.” Even then, you have to click another link to find out what Internet Preferences actually is. Take a look:

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How it is doing it..

 

 

Deep packet inspection

Changing browser settings won’t keep your Web browsing private.

 

“AT&T Internet Preferences works independently of your browser's privacy settings regarding cookies, do-not-track, and private browsing,” the company says. “If you opt-in to AT&T Internet Preferences, AT&T will still be able to collect and use your Web browsing information independent of those settings.”

 

So how exactly is AT&T scanning the traffic of its GigaPower customers? While the company is vague on those details, some experts say AT&T may be using deep packet inspection, technology used for everything from preventing the spread of computer viruses to tracking down criminal hackers and terrorists.

 

If AT&T is your Internet provider, your traffic has to go through AT&T systems before reaching the rest of the Internet. There's no changing that whether you opt in to or out of Internet Preferences. But the AT&T website’s description of Internet Preferences indicates that customers' traffic makes one extra stop within AT&T's network.

 

“Using the IP address assigned to each GigaPower account, AT&T scans for your AT&T Internet Preferences election,” the company says. “AT&T will treat your Internet browsing activity in accordance with your election. If you chose to participate in the AT&T Internet Preferences program, your Internet traffic is routed to AT&T's Internet Preferences Web browsing and analytics platform.”

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