RSSWhy would Comcast need 'seat warmers' to appear to show support?
by Jacqueline Emigh
Comcast has admitted to paying "seat warmers" to attend an FCC hearing held Monday, to hear its arguments in favor of blocking P2P file transfers. But Comcast contends that the seat warmers left once company employees showed up.
In a phone interview today, the organizer of a Federal Communications Commission hearing Monday on the grounds of Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Mass., disputed Comcast's statement, telling BetaNews that its paid "seat warmers" were only hired by the Internet service provider to fill seats until Comcast employees turned up to take their places.
At the hearing, the FCC heard testimony regarding Comcast's apparent blocking of P2P file transfers by its customers.
On Tuesday, Comcast released a written statement responding to published reports that the ISP had paid "seat warmers" to stop people siding against Comcast from gaining entry to the hearing. In it, the company contended that the seat warmers were only hired after the advocacy group Free Press "engaged in a much more extensive campaign to lobby people to attend the hearing."
However, Bracy told BetaNews today that when she arrived at Harvard Law School at 7:15 am on Monday, about 30 to 35 people were already standing outside, waiting to get inside.
"I initially thought, 'This is great! These people are so interested in the topics that they showed up early,'" according to Bracy, who is administrative manager at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. "But when I started to give instructions about how to get on the wireless network, nobody seemed to want to get on the wireless network -- and some of them didn't even know what a wireless network is."
"I then started to think that they might not be there because they were interested in the topics," Bracy said.
Bracy noticed that all of the group of early arrivals were still seated at 11:30 am. Meanwhile, others who got to the site of the hearing later had to be turned away, due to lack of space.
Most of the early arrivals were still present at 12:15 pm, in the middle of the first panel discussion, Bracy said. After that, they left the room, one by one, throughout the rest of the day.
But people identifying themselves as Comcast employees did not show up to take the places of the exiting seat warmers, according to the hearing organizer.
Bracy said she recognized some but not all of those who were turned away as employees of Harvard's Berkman Center. "But I did not ask anyone for their affiliations," she told BetaNews.
Photos and descriptions in some publications depict middle-aged men dozing off in the audience along with younger fellows who look like they might be bikers.
Comcast spokespersons were initially unavailable for comment about Bracy's reactions to the company's written statement.
On Tuesday, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo reportedly subpoenaed Comcast's records to look into how the ISP is handling P2P file sharing through programs such as BitTorrent.
12 Comments
It's really pathetic.
Score: 0
"Comcast’s sleeper cell." Classic.
http://www.savetheintern...internet-now-the-public/
Score: 0
"Crowd Shaping"
"Denial of Citizen Attack"
This is just too rich.
http://www.cnet.com/8301-13739_1-9879848-46.html
Score: 0
Our local Comcast gang is utterly retarded. When do those same FCC beauracrats fine their butts for never using REQUIRED callsigns on their old 35.00 mhz dispatching radios. Federal laws against using obscenities are not limited to just the channels that provide entertainment either.
This corporation ignores FCC regulations whenever it pleases. What kind of IDIOT would place his CABLE radio translator, on frequency surrounded on both sides by the local HIGH powered NPR station? (88.9 NPR, 89.1 Comcast, 89.3 NPR) We get nothing but NOISE on one of Comcast's channels because they're frigging incompetent.
I have never used their damned ISP and am happy with AT&T/Yahoo...
Score: 0
I have comcast, we used to have roadrunner in our area, and they were great, then comcast took over and now they throttle all the ftping I try to do. Any file the is over 5-6MB in size goes down from 250k to 44k on upload speeds. I never thought I'd think of switching back to AT&T, but I think I will be doing that shortly. The files I upload are for our redirect for 'maps' for Unreal Tournament 2004. They range in size from 1mb to 40mb in size and its not something done daily, just for new maps or changes to existing ones.
Score: 0
I've been on AT&T DSL now for about nine months. Super fast speeds, no limits, and about $24.95 a month.
I've downloaded 3-4 GB in the last couple days.
Score: 0
AT&T and Verizon are letting Comcast take the public beating on this one and stuff like this article certainly is not good for Comcast's PR, not that it can get much worse.
Score: 0
and dont be surprised if comcast hires more people
to come here and post positive things about the company
Score: 0
No, M$ already has this place covered with Astroturf.
Score: 0
And PC-Tool. [grins]
Score: 0
Ya'll seem to think I blindly defend MSFT...
Do you just skip the topics where I b**** about them, or are you just selectively skipping those posts so that it doesn't interfere with your oh-so-narrow view of the world?
Hate to break it ya, children, but it's not all black or white, love or hate, fanboy or troll. I know it's just easier for you to think in those limited terms.
Wouldn't want anything like reality creeping in on you and messing with your perceptions or anything...
Score: 0
Comcast isn't bad until you have to deal with tech support. What a bunch of idiots (until you reach tier 3.)
They recently turned off my internet without any notice and I had to spend more than 2 hours on the phone to get to the department that could turn it back on. What a bunch of ****ers.
If only there was any other provider offering similar speeds in my area...
Score: 0