COMCAST INTERNAL HANDBOOK SHOWS CONCERN FOR PRIVACY

DeDeclan McCullagh, writer for CNET, reports that "Comcast's confidential "Law Enforcement Handbook" was publicly disclosed on Monday."

MuCullagh's article is titled: "Secret manual shows Comcast (gasp!) protects customers' privacy."

I haven't read that manual myself, but Declan reports that is demonstates concern for their customer's privacy. This is isn't entirely surprising, and is an interesting development, given what we've recently about other telecoms and their cooperation with the Bush administration's wiretapping.

McCullagh writes:

"It turns out to be a 35-page manual dated September 2007 for police and intelligence agencies to use when they're trying to extract information out of Comcast about subscribers. The company's Internet service, VoIP telephone service and cable TV service are all covered.

What's perhaps most interesting, though, is that the leaked handbook shows that Comcast seems to be trying to protect its customers' privacy. I didn't see anything in the document offering to divulge more information than the law permits. Instead, the company repeatedly stresses that police follow legal requirements, and even attaches the text of two federal privacy laws as appendixes."

For more, click here: Declan McCullagh on Comcast's confidential "Law Enforcement Handbook."