Comcast is injecting Xfinity ads on public WiFi hotspots

Comcast has again drawn scrutiny, this time over its practice of injecting its own advertisements into Web pages visited by those connected to its public WiFi hotspots. According to a spokesperson that talked to the folks at Ars Techica, the company started doing this “months ago”.

According to the service provider, these advertisements have two sides, on one serving to let users know they’re connected to Comcast’s service, and the other aimed at getting these users to download the Xfinity apps. In the same vein, these apps are set to show up about every seven minutes and last a few seconds before disappearing.

Said company spokesperson Charlie Douglas, “We think it’s a courtesy, and it helps address some concerns that people might not be absolutely sure they’re on a hotspot from Comcast.” Others don’t share that perspective, citing security concerns among others about the company’s activities.

The ads are delivered via JavaScript injection, and Comcast has dismissed the security concerns by claiming it has several layers of security to keep hackers at bay. This follows long strings of controversy on the service provider’s doorstep, including its sponsorship of an FCC dinner that the company later revoked, due to public outcry.

SOURCE: Ars Technica