PolicyBlog

You are implying that 4chan attacked your network, but you said (quoted in the WSJ blog) that you were wrong that 4chan attacked your network. If you truly don’t care what websites are browsed, as you claim, then you didn’t unfairly target 4chan. Your response quoted in the WSJ here implies, since you took away the block, that you blocked 4chan needlessly - that the traffic you thought was a problem, wasn’t. So, first, don’t you owe your users and 4chan an apology for needlessly blocking? Second, This must happen all the time, if you weren’t targeting 4chan for blockages any more or less than you do all other websites: how many times a week are websites needlessly blocked by Verizon Wireless? If it’s many, why don’t you describe this process in detail to your customers, on your Website FAQ, so that when it occurs, they can infer why their access is being restricted? And if it doesn’t happen many times a week, what can you say about this blockage which would make credible your claim that 4chan is not being targeted any more or less than you do all other websites?

So, if amazon.com DDoS'd you, would you contact them or would you just block amazon.com? If the answer is 'just block them', then you're on solid ground. If the answer is 'contact their abuse PoC', then you should probably lose your license(s). Last year when AT&T had the problem that you described, they immediately stated that their network was under attack by 4chan's ip block. Guess what, the banner on www.4chan.org stated that there was a DDoS going on and access would be impacted...and it was. This time, the message simply said that 'Verizon Wireless is blocking boards.4chan.org...' Perhaps if you visit www.m-w.com you can look up the accepted meaning of etiquette, or integrity. Once you've done that, search your charter and see if your business license is still valid.

I have seen on various blogs talking about this issue certain posters who, it seems, take a very strong stance on your behalf. It made me wonder, does Verizon have a social media policy? What is Verizon's social media policy regarding employees and contractors posting on public spaces on issues regarding Verizon? Can they do so anonymously? Or does Verizon permit its employees and contractors to post opinions and sharp questioning on on public spaces regarding Verizon without identifying themselves as affiliated with Verizon?

You should be clearer and make an official statement BEFORE you block such a big website, or else expect nothing but a crapstorm.

Hi Jim, Thanks for a quick explanation for what is going on. I'm not a consumer of 4Chan, but fully believe that carriers should be neutral in connecting consumers to content. Understandable that you would want to take action against an active attack against your network. If the block is indeed removed today then I trust the accuracy of this update. As a FIOS customer since 2007, I do not want censorship or QoS applied to my Internet experience, and hope this isn't what is going on. Today you get the benefit of the doubt. I enjoy the speed and the price, keep up the good work.

I confused: how do you block IP connectivity without blocking the website? Are you claiming you weren't blocking their offices or something? Wikipedia: "After investigating, moot found out that only traffic on port 80 to the boards.4chan.org domain was affected, leading him to believe that the block was intentional.[92] On February 7, 2010, Verizon Wireless confirmed that 4chan is "explicitly blocked"" Does that mean the things like www.4chan.org were unaffected?

Sure 4chan was (well temporarily is for me) blocked. I mean, the front page loads, but the content is all on a site that is blocked. Hopefully the update will get out on the blogosphere that this was due to a Denial of Service (or whatever other attack). People freaked because they thought it was censorship. if I were admining a network, well, if someone's DOS'ing the DOS has to be filtered. This is not censorship, DOS'ing is faulty internet behavior. To me it's just like when a circuit breaker cuts of power to a short (besides the safety aspect, the short WOULD sag out neighbors power for a good while, an electrical DOS..), or how the phone co equipment doesn't give a dialtone to faulty lines (it'd probably damage both phone co equipment and the phone otherwise.) Good job Verizon, I have had an aircard for years and it's amazing the last few years to be riding on some 1000 mile road trip and have high speed data the whole way.

I am currently using Verizon FIOS, and the 4chan image boards still will not load.

I am currently using Verizon FIOS, and the 4chan image boards still will not load.

So, the new plan is to block a site based on scant evidence of a possible attack, and then retroactively change your story until you can make someone else to be the bad guy and/or satisfy the majority of moderately inquisitive minds? Wow Verizon, you have yet one more customer leaving your network. Me. Also, moot's retort: http://status.4chan.org/index.html#7980010181100308567

Your second paragraph seems inconsistent, unless you have an interesting definition of "At no time was 4Chan itself blocked." Would you care to expand on just what you meant by that phrase?

So it's true, you just guys rehash all of AT&T's original ideas, eh? Guess I ought to rely on my Sprint phone for a couple more years.

People are not stupid. They see this double-faced response to what was at best a minor network issue. You have just rid yourselves of the privilege of doing business with me. Oh, and by the way, I am certainly NOT a 4chan user, nor would I plan to be in such a crowd.

I love corporate propaganda! :)

"wireless data connection is stable, fast and reliable." three things my connection has never been

I love my Verizon cell phone service and am very disappointed with the way this situation was handled. Verizons network consists of thousands of servers, so even if someone was maliciously attacking your network, all you'd have to do is isolate the under attack address to one server, and then refresh the ips on the rest. This shows a severe lack of tact and an overwhelming blatant bias toward the particular site.

A ridiculously disproportionate overeaction affecting thousands of customers while refusing to accept any blame for the situation? I suppose Verizon isn't as different from AT&T as they'd like people to believe.

Liar.

For shame Jim Gerace, for shame.

Congratulations, Verizon. I have to put up with your service since I still live at home, but now that I know that you will block any site you don't like, I will most certainly not use your internet service when I get my own place. Don't think this is about 4chan, oh no. I don't have to visit that site to spend my time on the internet. But How can I trust you to be a reliable internet service provider, when you deny me service to a website of my choosing? So goodbye Verizon, you have lost a potential customer.

Oligarchy

Verizon has been a shady business since they first started. Always luring you into contracts and tricking you. So I would expect no different from an ISP. Thank god I don't use Verizon, I don't like censorship or my ISPs being biased against a site.

You guys were just about to gain a new customer because of some issues that I've been having with Sprint Wireless Broadband. However, due to this bit of network idiocy I think I'll stick with them for awhile.

That is not the appropriate response to such a small-scale problem. The fact that such a huge company could be so childish and biased is very unnerving, who would want to do business with a company like that?

Quit being such hypocrites. "Would you have blocked amazon.com if the same situation had occured?" What kind of a question is that? 4chan is a known board where all sorts of people, notably bored , crazy, disrespectful and computer literate (pick two of these at least) dwell. It is a very logical step to block 4chan for it has been known PUBLICLY and VERIFIED to originate and instigate harrassment (some of it deserved, some not so much). Verizon's decision may have been somewhat rash, but even if not entirely justified it was altogether the safest course.

I can't believe you would block a board based on the fact, that pretty much, the honest truth is, you just don't like the content. We would have never made a bother if you would have allowed us access to the boards we love. Verizon, I've always loved your service, and I wish I wouldn't have to switch over something silly like this, but it really means that much to me. And I'm sure it means that much to hundreds of other 4chan users and Verizon customers.

What you are participating in is the beginning of internet censorship in the US. Its amazing the stupidity of companies like ATT and Verizon who feel like it is THEIR right to block sites because they own the data pipelines which bring us information from the internet. What you guys fail to understand is ALL OF US created the internet together. Supporting the moves of such a heinous act is nothing but shooting yourself in the foot. Don't touch 4chan.org. There will always be consequences - we are vast, we are anonymous, and we are EVERYWHERE. We cook your food, fix your cars, connect your calls, police your towns. DO NOT F*cK with us.

I am not a Verizon customer. I never will be now, thanks to your little stunt. Did you honestly think that you could get this obviously hypocritical statement past the Anonymous? Come on, use your brains! We are everywhere, in fact many of us probably work under you and are already seeking other employment. We aren't forgiving, your company will only be given this one chance. NOBODY censors the Internet. Mark my words, if this stunt is pulled again, your company will be brought to its knees.

Going to t mobile I guess. Or i'll just leave the country, where they don't censor, and don't have shitty plans anyway.

not a good move on verizons part, im not a fan of 4chan, but im DEFINITELY not a fan of what happened. its important to be a responsible company but its also very important to keep people informed of the truth, and the truth is half-told here.

"Quit being such hypocrites. "Would you have blocked amazon.com if the same situation had occured?" What kind of a question is that? 4chan is a known board where all sorts of people, notably bored , crazy, disrespectful and computer literate (pick two of these at least) dwell. It is a very logical step to block 4chan for it has been known PUBLICLY and VERIFIED to originate and instigate harrassment (some of it deserved, some not so much). Verizon's decision may have been somewhat rash, but even if not entirely justified it was altogether the safest course." This would make sense if the 4chan DOMAIN ever carried out attacks. The people who browse the site don't USE THE SITE to DDoS people. Blocking the site because some people that browse it do bad things is foolish and doesn't do anything to stop the behavior. If, for some reason, moot allowed people to use the 4chan servers them selves to spam then it would be a different story. However, thats clearly not what happened here.

Block the pos website.

Your little attempt at spin control is sickening. Admit when you're wrong.

i did the attacks you should ban my site

You should just switch to Comcast

Some questions for Verizon Wireless: * If you truly don’t care what websites are browsed, as you claim, then you didn’t unfairly target 4chan. Your response implies, since you took away the block, that you blocked 4chan needlessly - that the traffic you thought was a problem, wasn’t. So, first, don’t you owe your users and 4chan an apology for needlessly blocking? Second, This must happen all the time, if you weren’t targeting 4chan for blockages any more or less than you do all other websites: how many times a week are websites needlessly blocked by Verizon Wireless? If it’s many, why don’t you describe this process in detail to your customers, on your Website FAQ, so that when it occurs, they can infer why their access is being restricted? And if it doesn’t happen many times a week, what can you say about this blockage which would make credible your claim that 4chan is not being targeted any more or less than you do all other websites?

how many ppl have a pre pay phone??? well lets look at this as a pre pay you pay Full price for your Phone (contract get 200-400 off price ) then if there is a problem you call customer service ,right??? well be prepaired YOU DONT COUNT!!!!!! if your phone breaks they tell you to go to store ,contact the manufacture or some other form of blow off. when you get to the store they are fine UNTILL they find out you are pre paid then its sorry you are prepay you need to call prepay coustomer service....hmmm sounds a bit funny you paid full price for your equipment and on average a prepay cust spends 70 a \mo to keep thier number going. heaven forbid you want a new phone with latest features, were sorry smart phones cant go prepaid but we will sell it to you fo 400 dollars more then our contract customers. i have the intensity bought it when they first came out in oct 09 it broke got replacement it broke got replacement ect,ect,ect all in all 7 bad ones between oct 2009 and feb 2010 if i was on a contract and didnt pay FULLPRICE after the 3rd bad one i would have been given a differant model. not on prepaiy because YOU DONT COUNT ,Your NOT a REAL verizon customer they take your money but you dont count.... i thinkprepay should have same service . it uses the same programs same computers same towers . here is one some prepay customers (like my wife )have a older plan 59.99 a mo for 350 min unlimited verizon to verizon, free nights and weekends. Sounds like a contract to me but its not she pays in advance for her service. she has had it for 4+ years no lapses same number .do you think she can get a discount from the required deposit for all the years of service . no "we cant help you" so lets do the math for my house 2 phones @30/mo ea + 10ea txt bundle +1 phone @60 /mo +10 /mo text 150 a mo to verizon to find out i am less of a customer ,i dont count, and WE CANT HELP YOU vs contract 79 mo for 3 lines shared min discounted phones and they will HELP YOU when there is a problem . go to att or sprint or tmobile and its less for prepay with better service (any service is better than none at all) please pass this on i will verizon prepay=less of a customer period

Just admit you bought into the hype that 4chan was full of haxors and overreacted about it.

You're a sickening example of what happens when the so-called "civilized" members of society look down on people they believe to be beneath them and then turn out, themselves, to look like the idiots.

Please, lighten up people. Life is too short, forgive, smile and move on.

Hi guise wats a 'forechan'

4CHAN's just a fun site that features mostly Japanese culter related things and is perfectly harmless. Apparently the folks at Verizon may not realize that someone may have backdoored and zombied someone else's computer to make it look like it was 4CHAN. That happens all the time every day all over the Internet and yet it never ceases to amaze me how many security "experts" are totally clueless about this. 4CHAN hack someone? ROFLMAO!! That, right there, is one of the most ridiculously funny things I've ever heard! LOL!!

This doesn't surprise me in the least. I'm just happy my internet provider doesn't jump to conclusions and fail to provide me service. Not that I visit 4chan, but any restriction of service is a restriction of service and hence is a failure to provide service fully. If I were a verizon customer I would demand my money back. Glad I'm not one.

Hello, I just wanted to tell you people at Verizon that I am very happy with your biggest residential broadband competitor in the US: Comcast. Sure, they have problems, but to my knowledge they don't block access to any particular web site unapologetically. I hope I'm never forced to use your service when/if I move. Good day.

This is a horribly contrived spin article, and all of you at verizon should feel horrible for not upholding net neutrality. I will never own anything else verizon because of this kind of service.

I'm very glad to read this post. I wasn't online for verison blocking 4chan but now that I know I'll be cancelling my plan. I've been wanting AT&T anyway to be honest. It just kind of disappointing when I would preach as to how good verison was to all of my friends. Looks like I'll have to do the opposite now. Anyone else down for a hate-campaign against this grossly inflated and useless company? By the way Verison, You dun goofed.

http://status.4chan.org/ TUESDAY FEB. 09 Post/// Your liars, and a company that feels threatened by the free mindedness of a single website. 4chan would not direct DDOS attacks on its host no more than Verizon would direct terrorist attacks on the United States. And this propaganda claiming you are not the one to blame simple will not work.