Stunt Miffs FCC
The satirical blog "The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs" raised eyebrows at the FCC this week when the blog encouraged mobile users to "overwhelm the AT&T data network and bring it to its knees" by banding together in a network-halting stunt this Friday.
Labeling the project Operation Chokehold, Newsweek columnist Dan Lyons--who blogs for the site under the name "Steve"--told iPhone users to run data-intensive apps simultaneously on Friday. The aim is to slow the network to a standstill. Lyons said in his post that he wanted to send AT&T the message that "we are sick of their substandard network," and to register ire over signals from the network that pricing plans based on bandwidth use may be on the horizon.
AT&T responded to CultofMac.com, calling Lyons' effort "an irresponsible and pointless scheme to draw attention to a blog." The FCC also condemned the stunt. "To purposely try to disrupt or negatively impact a network with ill-intent is irresponsible and presents a significant public safety concern... [T]hreats of this nature are serious, and we caution the public to use common sense and good judgment," the agency told ABC News.
Lyons' response to landing on the FCC's radar? "Holy crap," he blogged. He largely intended the protest as a joke, but it spun out of his hands, he wrote. Still, he did not call off the protest.
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