Senators Want Hearing on BitTorrent Blocking

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) today asked the Senate Commerce Committee to hold a hearing to look into content transmission interference by the likes of Verizon (VZ), AT&T (T), and Comcast (CMCSA).

Despite Net neutrality being the unwritten law, cable and phone companies would like to control what happens on their networks, and have been testing their boundaries lately. Outcry over Comcast interfering with BitTorrent file transfers, AT&T restricting user criticism, and Verizon Wireless blocking text messages drew the senators’ attention.

According to a reprint of the letter at WebProNews:

These recent events suggest that…this Congress should consider adopting targeted regulations to protect consumers and ensure an open and vibrant communications platform. We request that the full Committee hold a hearing to discuss discrimination against content and applications by phone and cable companies, and whether current regulatory protections are enough.

The Department of Justice has thrown in its lot with the access providers. We web video consumers have to hope Congress will take our side.