For some time, Comcast has had a curious passage buried in one of its several “terms and conditions” documents. The ISP makes clear to users that it doesn’t need a court order to monitor their Internet usage, “including without limitation e-mail, newsgroups, chat, IP audio and video, and Web space content.” If Comcast wants to listen to your Skype calls, it’s free to do so.

Such broad rights to monitor have occasionally stirred up online conspiracy theories in which Comcast provides cover for passing bulk Internet traffic to the government or for listening in on critics and activists. But the company tells us that such concerns are unfounded; Comcast simply wants to avoid being sued.

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Originally posted here:
Why Comcast can (but probably won’t) read your e-mails, IMs