AT&T Backtracks on TOS Changes, Apologizes

AT&T Wireless has backtracked on changes to its Terms of Service (TOS), which were modified earlier in the week in such a way as to pretty much gimp anything from SlingPlayer to Skype, and more.

As noted by the Public Knowledge Policy Blog, the changes (in bold) were:

This means, by way of example only, that checking email, surfing the Internet, downloading legally acquired songs, and/or visiting corporate intranets is permitted, but downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, customer initiated redirection of television or other video or audio signals via any technology from a fixed location to a mobile device, web broadcasting, and/or for the operation of servers, telemetry devices and/or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition devices is prohibited.

However, on Friday AT&T backtracked, issuing the following statement:

“The language added on March 30 to AT&T’s wireless data service Terms and Conditions was done in error. It was brought to our attention and we have since removed it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

It's nice to see the furor the report on the changes started has resulted in AT&T removing the new TOS text. What's unsettling, however, is the fact is that if they inserted that text, even if done erroneously, it means they are most likely considering the change in the future.

So, while you bask in the fact that public outcry got that change reversed, how does that last thought grab you?