[autodata]

Following the news that the FBI used a national security letter (NSL) to obtain information from an ISP during a criminal investigation not related to national security, I decided to try to find out exactly what information ISPs really obtain and keep. However, I have had a hard time finding out specifics.

One thing I came across, and remember vaguely from when it actually happened, was a bunch of articles (early 02) regarding comcasts' collection and storing of IPs and URLs. After a fuss about it, Comcast apparently agreed to stop.

COMCAST STATEMENT ON INTERNET PRIVACY    Philadelphia (February 13, 2002) - Comcast Cable Communications    President Stephen B. Burke issued the following statement today    regarding Internet privacy:    "Comcast respects the privacy of all our subscribers and is committed    to fully protect their rights. Comcast has not shared and will not    share personal information about where our subscribers go on the Web,    either for any internal purpose or with any outside party, except as    required by law. Consistent with our subscriber agreement and our    privacy policy, which every subscriber acknowledges before receiving    our service, Comcast reviews information in aggregate form only for    purposes of network performance management to ensure an optimal    Internet network experience for our subscribers."    "Since we launched our own Internet network six weeks ago in the wake    of Excite_at_Home's bankruptcy, IP and URL information has been stored    temporarily. This information has never been connected to individual    subscribers and has been purged automatically to protect subscriber    privacy. Beginning immediately, we will stop storing this individual    customer information in order to completely reassure our customers    that the privacy of their information is secure."

So my qurestion is whether or not it is the case that records regarding what websites one has looked at are kept by the ISP or even if they exist at all.

What's more confusing is the vague reporting on the information ISPs can provide through these NSLs. For example, this MSNBC report says the following:

The letters in question involve records held by Internet service providers about their clients, including billing information, kinds of merchandise the clients buy online and the e-mail addresses of the clients’ associates.

How would an ISP have information on what products a customer buys if they don't keep detailed records of a user's browing history? Or is this MSNBC article yet another example of horribly inaccurate reporting on technology?

[dfj225]

Hummm...it would be interesting to find out exactly what ISPs do keep records of. I seriously doubt that they track what sites you visit, but I was under the impression that they must keep a log of what user had what IP address. Since this is how the RIAA and other people have been suing users. First they find your IP address, next they find what ISP owns the address, then they force the ISP to give up who was connected to the ISP at whatever time. Personally, I have Comcast for my connection at home. If you can dig up any more information on this, I, for one, would be really interested in it.