Phorm - a sign of things to come?

[Lee H]

So, it's been announced that BT, VM and talk talk are going to implement this advertising technology within their networks.

What this entails is sending all the sites you browse and request to phorm who's software will then generate the best adverts for your viewing depending on your browsing choices and also lets phorm track a users each and every move

Is this a sign of things to come in the future from all ISPS or is this a privacy invasion waiting to happen?

[sleepyhead]

Oh my...

Surely tracking what web pages you visit infringes on your privacy?

There has to be some form of T & C acceptance of sending the information to a 3rd party.

It's like someone keeping tabs on you on what shops you goto...abit like stalking.

[Mossy]

Oh my...

Surely tracking what web pages you visit infringes on your privacy?

There has to be some form of T & C acceptance of sending the information to a 3rd party.

It's like someone keeping tabs on you on what shops you goto...abit like stalking.

Thats what I thought

[Lee H]

The Reg covered this yesterday and pointed out a lot about the system which is linked below ;

ISP data deal with former 'spyware' boss triggers privacy fears | The Register

[nichomach]

Is this a sign of things to come in the future from all ISPS or is this a privacy invasion waiting to happen?

Don't see why it can't be both. You know, the thing that really frosts my 'nads about this is that the ISPs in question are the first to bitch about the record companies asking them to examine traffic for filesharers (which, by the way, I do not think is a good idea), claiming technical impossibility, but apparently it's not so impossible to monitor traffic if you're getting a load of advertising cash for it.

[Lee H]

Don't see why it can't be both. You know, the thing that really frosts my 'nads about this is that the ISPs in question are the first to bitch about the record companies asking them to examine traffic for filesharers (which, by the way, I do not think is a good idea), claiming technical impossibility, but apparently it's not so impossible to monitor traffic if you're getting a load of advertising cash for it.

Maybe the large cash sum had something to do with it

Regarding this topic, according to a few sources BT started feeding the data back in 2007 which can be read about at the following link ;

BT pimped customer web data to advertisers last summer | The Register

[nichomach]

Yes, I just read that myself. That's GOT to be a breach of the DPA.

[Lee H]

Maybe that also explains why people have an 8 Mb line and then get speeds of less than 512K due to the hidden server data sending

If BT need to make money, rather than starting a cut throat battle by pricing broadband at silly prices, why not raise the price and ensure that this advertising system is not used. I bet more people out there would happily pay an extra 3 pounds a month as long as phorm is not used and their surfing habits analysed.

[nichomach]

I get what you mean, Lee, but I think the whole thing's been handled in such an underhanded fashion that you couldn't really trust them anyway. I mean, it'd be one thing if they said "this is our standard price, but if you want, you can have a £3pm discount for letting a market company have anonymised data", but I'd object to the idea that they could charge their standard price and then make you pay a premium for not having your privacy violated.

[Jay]

all they have to do is see who is requesting what from the DNS servers. I would just use openDNS to really screw them.

[Sinizter]

I would pay the extra and move to an ISP that was not involved with this garbage.

Wouldnt even trust an ISP that offered a different deal on which this wasnt active.

Hopefully there will still be one or two companies who will offer an uncompromised service.

[Barkotron]

I have contacted VM to tell them that I will cancel all of my VM subscription services the day they implement this, I'll be interested to see what pathetic lies they come back with. Reading the responses on other forums, they appear to think that their customers are to be treated like a 5-year-old child when they respond to legitimate complaints.

Apparently there are decent providers who have specifically said they would not under any circumstances take part in anything like this, and I will be transferring my broadband to them. I'll be sad to lose the V+ box, which I like a lot, but I refuse to give my money to a company that treats its customers with this kind of contempt.

It's pretty disgusting that known spyware/adware/scumware operators are not being blocked by our ISPs, but actively worked with in order to sell their own users' browsing data (from the technical details seen, it's not even just a list of which pages were visited, but the actual data from the pages as well) to the highest bidder.

[Elspuddy]

So, it's been announced that BT, VM and talk talk are going to implement this advertising technology within their networks.

What this entails is sending all the sites you browse and request to phorm who's software will then generate the best adverts for your viewing depending on your browsing choices and also lets phorm track a users each and every move

Is this a sign of things to come in the future from all ISPS or is this a privacy invasion waiting to happen?

my god, i hate to think what ads i would see, anime+hentai+p0rn+4chan=

[nichomach]

I've bunged an enquiry in to the office of the Information Commissioner to ask whether it's in their remit; there's an interesting report on El Reg which refers to an opinion that it may not be just a DPA breach, but also a breach of RIPA, which'd be the first time I heard of anything good coming out that legislative abortion.

[kushtibari]

Personally, I can't see how its not in breach of RIPA. Put it this way, if the police or any other investigative body were to request this type of personal information they would have to seek authority via either a RIPA application or a court order.

Complete pants and I would certainly change my ISP if they went along with it.

[sleepyhead]

all they have to do is see who is requesting what from the DNS servers. I would just use openDNS to really screw them.

openDNS...as in this openDNS? Sounds tempting but read mixed views about it...