Comments on: Google, looking like Apple, pulls tethering apps http://futureoftheinternet.org/google-looking-like-apple-pulls-tethering-apps Jonathan Zittrain is Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and co-founder of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:25:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Harris http://futureoftheinternet.org/google-looking-like-apple-pulls-tethering-apps/comment-page-1#comment-5353 Harris Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:08:27 +0000 http://futureoftheinternet.org/?p=702#comment-5353 I disagree that Google's pulling a tethering app -- or, as it appears is actually the case, limiting the carriers with which it works -- amounts to a "heavy hand." As much as we'd all love unfettered access to such innovative software and 24/7 wireless broadband, it's reasonable for Google to step in where the limitations of its partner networks make tethering implausible. If it's the case that T-Mobile simply can't handle the potential demands of every Android user hitting up Battlestar Galactica torrents in the local park, there's a real concern. Individual users can't be expected to limit their usage for the good of the network, so a central authority needs to act to preserve what is ultimately in everyone's interest. Given the choice, I think we'd rather all of our calls / emails / texts go through all of the time than some of us have access to tethering some of the time. This is a non-evil reason to block the app. Now that said, T-Mobile may object to tethering simply to preserve its own business in selling the same internet access to the same customers as a separate package. That's a potentially more objectionable motive, to the extent it doesn't overlap with the one described above... I disagree that Google’s pulling a tethering app — or, as it appears is actually the case, limiting the carriers with which it works — amounts to a “heavy hand.” As much as we’d all love unfettered access to such innovative software and 24/7 wireless broadband, it’s reasonable for Google to step in where the limitations of its partner networks make tethering implausible. If it’s the case that T-Mobile simply can’t handle the potential demands of every Android user hitting up Battlestar Galactica torrents in the local park, there’s a real concern. Individual users can’t be expected to limit their usage for the good of the network, so a central authority needs to act to preserve what is ultimately in everyone’s interest. Given the choice, I think we’d rather all of our calls / emails / texts go through all of the time than some of us have access to tethering some of the time. This is a non-evil reason to block the app.

Now that said, T-Mobile may object to tethering simply to preserve its own business in selling the same internet access to the same customers as a separate package. That’s a potentially more objectionable motive, to the extent it doesn’t overlap with the one described above…

]]> By: Mark Murphy http://futureoftheinternet.org/google-looking-like-apple-pulls-tethering-apps/comment-page-1#comment-5263 Mark Murphy Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:56:11 +0000 http://futureoftheinternet.org/?p=702#comment-5263 "What will happen, though, if carrier that doesn’t forbid tethering comes out with an Android-based phone? Why shouldn’t those people be able to access the [app] in the Market?" They will be able to access the app in the Market: http://androidguys.com/?p=4418 “What will happen, though, if carrier that doesn’t forbid tethering comes out with an Android-based phone? Why shouldn’t those people be able to access the [app] in the Market?”

They will be able to access the app in the Market:

http://androidguys.com/?p=4418

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