Now maybe this is all paranoia, but if they can monitor and control what goes through your router, TOR and proxies and so on become irrelevant to hiding your online activities. Then there may come a time when the government wants the keys to your router. To protect the children, of course.

Generally, when you buy a new device you plan on using it however you want, hopefully with the occasional update to keep everything running smoothly. Every once in a while, though, an update comes along that makes you scream in terror, like the one Cisco just rolled out across their router line, forcing users to register with Cisco’s cloud service or end up with a bricked device.

Why in the world would you need to tie your router into some sort of cloud service? So that Cisco can monitor everything you do and sell your information, of course! Alright, alright: on the bright side, you do get anytime, anywhere” access to your router, and access to ‘new apps’ to enrich your ‘connected lifestyle.’ We never asked for apps on our router in the first place, but that’s beside the point.
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Aside from the obvious privacy issues, the real problem here is that they’re trying to take your porno and warez away from you. The terms of service of Cisco’s Cloud Connect service contains some really interesting clauses:
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Cisco reserves the right, ‘without limitation,’ to transform your router into a useless brick if they decide you’re enjoying your porno just a little too much, or if they catch you browsing the Pirate Bay. God forbid that they catch you browsing the Pirate Bay in search of porn.