According to several reports, Comcast has "declared war" on the Tor Browser, as agents for the company have deemed Tor as an "illegal service."
Comcast agents have reportedly been calling up customers that are using Tor, telling them to halt all usage of the browser. Otherwise, the services for the customer may be terminated.
Tor is an Internet browser that provides its users with more online anonymity than most other browsers, which is apparently the issue that Comcast has with the usage of the browser.
"Users who try to use anonymity, or cover themselves up on the internet, are usually doing things that aren't so-to-speak legal. We have the right to terminate, fine, or suspend your account at anytime due to you violating the rules," said a Comcast agent to a customer, reported by Deep Dot Web.
How did Comcast know in the first place that certain customers are using the Tor browser? This would mean that the company is monitoring the Internet activities of its users, perhaps to see if they are operating within Comcast's Acceptable Use Policy. Part of this monitoring includes checking to see if users are downloading pirated materials that would be violating the copyright laws.
Comcast, however, responded to the reports through a post on its website by vice president for internet services Jason Livingood.
Livingood stated that, while the reports on Comcast's alleged war with Tor have been released on several websites, the reports are inaccurate.
"Comcast is not asking customers to stop using Tor, or any other browser for that matter. We have no policy against Tor, or any other browser or software. Customers are free to use their Xfinity Internet service to visit any website, use any app, and so forth," Livingood wrote.
According to Livingood, Comcast does not monitor the online activities or the browser software being used by its customers. He also said that the anecdotes of experiences between Comcast customers and agents were inaccurate.
Livingood adds that Comcast has respect for the security and privacy of its customers, with the company only investigating and disclosing information regarding an account of a customer when there is an appropriate legal process in place.
"Our customers can use Tor at any time, as I have myself. I'm sure many of them are using it right now," Livingood concludes.
Deep Dot Web, however, pointed out Livingood claimed that the anecdotes between the customers and agents were inaccurate, without explaining what really happened.
