Can ISPs be trusted?

[Phil Meyer]

On 10/08/2009 01:27 PM, gilpel at altern.org wrote:
> Most people trust their ISP, and rightly so, I suppose. But what if an ISP
> was a vilain? :) What kind of access would it have to its users'
> computers? Isn't it the same as a client connected to a server? The server
> being root, it has full access to the client.
>
> Of course, the ISP doesn't have the password of the client's computer, but
> it transmits data back and forth to its users' computers all day long.
>
> If suppose this is a rather basic networking question, but given my
> knowledge on the matter, I have a hard time figuring this out.
>
>    

It is the same age old problem.

Does the phone company listen in?  Yes.
Are they supposed to?  No.  Not without cause, but do employees do it? 
Yes they can, and do, even without permission or cause.

Same holds true for ISPs.

The bottom line:  Trust no-one above a reasonable assurance that most 
people have your best interests in mind.  However, it is folly to think 
that all people have your bests interests in mind.

DHLS and the IRAA are both seeking the ability to require subscriber 
information from all ISPs, and the NSA and other agencies already to 
InterNet data mining.

The InterNet was designed as a pure anarchy, and most large businesses, 
and most governments don't like that.  They want control.  The Net 
Nuetrality issues before Congress in the US at this time, are just one 
of the ways in which the true nature of the InterNet could change.

Don't mean to preach here, but your question seems a bit naive.

Good Luck!