Remember when I mentioned that AT&T’s contract was evil? Specifically that it managed to say that if you spoke ill of AT&T or their partners they could cancel your service?

Just in case here is the text of that again:

5.1 Suspension/Termination. Your Service may be suspended or terminated if your payment is past due and such condition continues un-remedied for thirty (30) days. In addition, AT&T may immediately terminate or suspend all or a portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Locator or domain name used by you, without notice, for conduct that AT&T believes (a) violates the Acceptable Use Policy; (b) constitutes a violation of any law, regulation or tariff (including, without limitation, copyright and intellectual property laws) or a violation of these TOS, or any applicable policies or guidelines, or (c) tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries. Termination or suspension by AT&T of Service also constitutes termination or suspension (as applicable) of your license to use any Software. AT&T may also terminate or suspend your Service if you provide false or inaccurate information that is required for the provision of Service or is necessary to allow AT&T to bill you for Service.

Well, according to Gizmodo things have changed. Here is the new section 5.1:

5.1 Suspension/Termination. AT&T respects freedom of expression and believes it is a foundation of our free society to express differing points of view. AT&T will not terminate, disconnect or suspend service because of the views you or we express on public policy matters, political issues or political campaigns. However, AT&T may immediately terminate or suspend all or a portion of your Service, any Member ID, electronic mail address, IP address, Universal Resource Locator or domain name used by you, without notice, for conduct that AT&T believes (a) violates the Acceptable Use Policy; or (b) constitutes a violation of any law, regulation or tariff (including, without limitation, copyright and intellectual property laws) or a violation of these TOS, or any applicable policies or guidelines. Your Service may be suspended or terminated if your payment is past due and such condition continues un-remedied for thirty (30) days. Termination or suspension by AT&T of Service also constitutes termination or suspension (as applicable) of your license to use any Software. AT&T may also terminate or suspend your Service if you provide false or inaccurate information that is required for the provision of Service or is necessary to allow AT&T to bill you for Service.

Interesting, huh? All that noise made an impact. There is a downside to that, of course.
I mean if our noise helped change AT&T’s mind, well then we were crucial to stopping a part of the Empire’s expansion. Which means we are Ewoks.

Yes, the Intardwebs is made of Ewoks.

lolYubNub! You’re the Ewok now, dog!

From now on www shall not be pronounced “dub dub dub” but instead “yub yub yub”.

Happy now? Ewoks. We’re all god damned Ewoks. This is what doing some good gets us. Ewoks. We don’t get to fly in the Falcon, we don’t get lightsabers no. We swing some tree trunks down and dance like midgets in fur suits.

Damn it.

Thanks a lot, AT&T.

Seriously, though, that is so very cool to see. I still worry and keep an eye open but it is good to see that sometimes the big corps pay attention, even just a little bit.