Is Comcast hacking?

In my column that went up today, I examine Comcast's alleged practice of blocking uploads from BitTorrent and other applications. The practice was reported last week by the Associated Press and numerous bloggers. The company doesn't admit to the practice but does say that it takes steps to protect its network from people who abuse their service by sending out excessive amounts of information.

The company reportedly does the blocking by sending out false messages telling computers sharing files that the file is no longer needed by the person who requested it. If these reports are true, Comcast may be guilty of hacking and impersonation. Even though their motivations might be noble, their methods are scary. It's like a government agency engaging in illegal search and interrogation methods in the name of homeland security, not that that ever happens.