Controversy over 'traffic throttling' heats up

Both Bell and Rogers have denied this charge, maintaining that DPI is purely for network management purposes.

Both the privacy office and the CRTC can bring something to bear on the traffic-shaping issue, Lawson says. The governmental bodies are responsible for legislation that touches upon DPI and use of infrastructure. They could work together on the matter.

"We think the CRTC can add a lot of technical knowledge on how DPI works in the telecommunications environment," she says.

The CRTC could also be stricter in its regulation, Lawson adds. It could ban the practice entirely, for example.

The federal privacy commissioner's office didn't want to comment on the ongoing investigation. But the organization says it is open to working with the CRTC if there is a shared interest.

"We like to have as collaborative approach as possible," says Anne-Marie Hayden, media relations for the office.

Tauschek says CIPPIC's gambit of filing a complaint with the privacy commissioner is more about raising public ire against traffic-shaping.

"It's more about getting the public angry than it is actually getting anything done."

The privacy commissioner would have to be convinced that ISPs had some interest in reading their customers e-mail, the analyst says. Users who encrypt their e-mail -- automatically done by Web mail services -- couldn't have their messages read anyway.

While bringing public attention to the traffic-shaping issue, CIPPIC isn't necessarily looking to have the practice banned entirely, Lawson says. They are just looking for a public debate on the issue.

"We need to hear more from the companies before we come to a final decision," she says.

More news, commentary, and predictions from The Industry Standard:

• Special Feature: IT vs. initiative: The Internet age comes to the battlefield
• Special Feature: The Digital Home of 2013: 10 consumer technologies that will succeed, and five that will fail
• Special Feature: Where are they now? The Industry Standard tracks down 10 dot-coms from the Web bubble of the late 1990s
• Special Feature: The Industry Standard's Top 25 B-to-Z List Blogs