Press Release
Mediacom Caught Hijacking Subscribers’ Internet Experience
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- According to reports Monday, cable operator and Internet service provider Mediacom appears to have been caught hijacking its users’ Web-browsing activity for the purpose of injecting unsolicited advertisements. shots show a large banner ad for Mediacom’s own discount phone service placed above the top of third-party Web page content, including Apple.com and Google.com. Mediacom is apparently using Deep Packet Inspection technology to track, monitor and interfere with traffic, without disclosing to its customers that their online activities are being watched.
Mediacom operates in 23 states, with about 2 million television and 750,000 broadband subscribers.
Free Press Policy Counsel Aparna Sridhar made the following statement:
“Mediacom’s egregious actions provide yet another example of a cable company interfering with its subscribers’ use of the Internet. Like Comcast and Charter before it, Mediacom’s actions indicate that gatekeeper network operators won’t hesitate to monitor and meddle with their subscribers’ connections. Mediacom should immediately end its practice of hijacking of third-party websites, and disclose the technologies it is using to read and modify its subscribers’ Internet communications.”
“We hope the Federal Communications Commission takes note of the ongoing misbehavior by Internet service providers, and is vigilant in protecting Internet users."
Mediacom operates in 23 states, with about 2 million television and 750,000 broadband subscribers.
Free Press Policy Counsel Aparna Sridhar made the following statement:
“Mediacom’s egregious actions provide yet another example of a cable company interfering with its subscribers’ use of the Internet. Like Comcast and Charter before it, Mediacom’s actions indicate that gatekeeper network operators won’t hesitate to monitor and meddle with their subscribers’ connections. Mediacom should immediately end its practice of hijacking of third-party websites, and disclose the technologies it is using to read and modify its subscribers’ Internet communications.”
“We hope the Federal Communications Commission takes note of the ongoing misbehavior by Internet service providers, and is vigilant in protecting Internet users."
