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Filed under: Legal •

How many Verizon FIOS users are in violation of new AUP?

This is a bit off the normal video topics, but deserves some attention as we have the whole comment thing here for each article. Being a bit off-topic, it’s actually rather ironic, considering what follows…I’ll explain. It seems that Verizon has changed the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for FiOS users. And oddly, a good percentage of FiOS users are probably already in violation of the new AUP. Read on…

FiOS is a high speed internet and television service. One of the areas changed in the AUP is a new clause that states it is a violation to ”...post off-topic information on message boards, chat rooms or social networking sites.” Which, in my opinion, is so broad a statement as to include just about 100% of their users. That is, most FiOS users are likely already in violation of this overly-broad AUP, and can be disconnected at Verizon’s whim. Specifically:

Verizon reserves the sole discretion to deny or restrict your Service, or immediately to suspend or terminate your Service, if the use of your Service by you or anyone using it, in our sole discretion, violates the Agreement or other Verizon policies, is objectionable or unlawful, interferes with the functioning or use of the Internet or the Verizon network by Verizon or other users, or violates the terms of this Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”).

Oh, and if your term plan service is cut off because you violated the AUP by posting something “off-topic” on, say a Facebook page, you’ll also be liable for the FiOS $179 early termination fee. Good times. It’s also worth noting that the off-topic clause is just one line in a long list of possible offenses that can get your high-speed internet pulled. Read the full AUP for a few more examples. Now I don’t think that they are going to enforce all these rules in most cases. Clearly, Verizon is just adding every possible avenue and option to their legal quiver, should they need to dump a problem user for whatever reason. Good for them, bad for users. If I was a FiOS subscriber, I’d be writing anyone I could reach at Verizon and making a stink. This sort of policy is anti-consumer. Bad form, Verizon, bad form.

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Perhaps - perhaps - the “off topic” clause was just a broad back door aimed at spammers. We get a lot of spam comments here on PVC where the text starts out related to the article, but then contains a link buy, say, atomic nose tweezers. The latter obviously being off-topic. (We nuke them when we find them here on PVC.)

Posted by Chris Meyer  on  12/08  at  11:10 AM

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Ah, but there are other ways to clearly spell that out without treading into the overly-broad, 1984-esque “off-topic on forums” clause. MHO of course.

-MJ

Posted by Matt Jeppsen  on  12/08  at  11:20 AM

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Wish I could get FIOS.  They keep advertising it, but it’s not available in my neighborhood.

Posted by Graham Futerfas  on  12/08  at  11:22 AM

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