Windows 7 - Several US ISPs Hijacking & Redirecting Customers' Search Queries

Brink · 08-05-2011

Quote:

What do you expect to come up when you search for a term in Google or Bing? Page after page of relevant results, right? Wrong, buster – at least if you're a customer of an ISP that engages in search query redirection. Late last night, a report surfaced that reveals that several ISPs, with the help of a company called PaxFire, have secretly been hijacking your traffic when you search for a certain major keywords. Why? Revenue, of course. Is your ISP on the list?

Read more at: Maximum PC | Several US ISPs Hijacking And Redirecting Their Customers' Search Queries

fseal · 08-05-2011

A very small look into the future of our internet access. In 10-20 years, 100% of all traffic will be guided and shaped, not as you wanted it but as 10 seperate entites in the chain wanted you to have it.

Even NORMAL searches on Google Bing etc are mutated into giant lists of link farms and other completely useless ad generators as it is, what hope do you have when your ISP just completely filters out anything thay haven't been paid to show you?

arkhi · 08-05-2011

I expected AT&T on the list because, honestly, they sound like the type to do it lol

Nevertheless, I'm glad my searches are safe...for now.

On the side note, I've always been wondering if it's possible for an internet connection without an ISP. I mean, the internet is a web, right? So theoretically we can just splice a connection to one of those webs, can't we? O_o

fseal · 08-05-2011

Well yes... but... it would be like trying to buy a single piece of fruit from the Central California Valley fruit distribution warehouse.

The main tier providers (that all the ISPs use) would either charge you for one flatbed truck worth of oranges or tell you to get lost

bigcitycat · 08-05-2011

I use Open DNS.

sygnus21 · 08-05-2011

This is just the tip of the iceburg, I'm sure we'll find more and more companies doing this sort of thing.

BTW as a side note doing a Google for Microsoft's tech support phone number resulted in the first few links NOT associated with Microsoft.

Several US ISPs Hijacking & Redirecting Customers' Search Queries-capture.jpg

mjm6783 · 08-05-2011

I thought comcast would make the list, just because they love screwing me out of money.

Schroff87 · 08-05-2011

The folks in the comments are talking about using Google/OpenDNS to mitigate this atleast on the users end, could someone explain to me how does it affect search queries being redirected? I don't understand :-S

DalekOverSeer · 08-05-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by mjm6783

I thought comcast would make the list, just because they love screwing me out of money.

comcast does like to try to screw people out of money. why do you think their billing is so complicated?

z3r010 · 08-06-2011

Quote: Originally Posted by bigcitycat

I use Open DNS.

Who also hijack your search results!!!