A good starting point is here:
http://www.badphorm.co.uk/
or here:
https://nodpi.org/forum/index.php?topic=108.0
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In brief Phorm have installed black boxes inside the BT ISP networl. This monitors nearly everything a phormed punter reads and writes on the internet. Even if he does not opt in his data is still intercepted, and processed.
Here is a posting I made on another thread a while ago:
The only way to be 100% Safe is to Abstain
RDM has the right idea. Switch. It is so simple and it is the only effective 100% method to not be profiled.
There's a Spy in the Mechanism
Now let's state EXACTLY what this phorm system is. It is akin to this:
The postman opening up every letter you send and receive, running it through a scanner, putting it back in the envelope along with a cookie for good measure, and then delivering it to you or your recipient.
Now if you opt-in to the system you will start to get highly targetted junk mail through your door. If you wrote to your Gran asking how here bunions were, or if your Uncle Jack's back is OK then you will start to receive junk mail for bunion cream and adjustmatic beds.
Ohh Mrs Frobisher said That did She
Think of it another way.
Imagine the old days of the telephone exchange where teams of ladies had to route calls by plugging in wires here and there.
The phorm system is also akin to that. Imagine if every one of your telephone conversations was listened to by a third party, where all your words are recorded and then analysed. A few minutes later your phone starts ringing with ads on the very conversation you just had...
It's Everyone not just the Bad People
Now this is not a system which GxC.H_Q can use to spy on a handful of miscreants, this is not a system a few pompous council community action enforcement milk monitor prefects can use to spy on a non dog turd picker-upper. This is plugged into the "internet" where EVERYONE is monitored.
Is it Really that Bad?
Yes it is. It has quite likely broken half a dozen or so laws and acts. The fact that the ICO, the police, the home office all refuse to take any action does not mean it is right and should be allowed to continue
(side note: read the latest revelation on The Reg today for a more incredible update on this whole saga).
As for the trials well it could have involved half the country but the victims do not know about it. It wasn't just Johnny Home user who had his rights infringed but businesses. Maybe doctors surgeries, MP's, finance institutions, anyone. That's why a full investigation needs to be made.
But Google Do Worse
With google I have the choice to use Google or not. If my ISP is phormed I have no choice except to receive the targetted ads or not - my data will still be copied, and processed.
Google also gives me a treat for processing my data. They give me a very useful search engine. With Phorm there is no treat.
OK Tesco are Worser with their Clubcard!
Again this is about choice. Not only can I choose to use a clubcard or not but I can choose to go to Sainsburys or Asda if I wish.
With Phorm there is no choice. If your ISP is phormed all your shopping habits belong to them.
Note too that even if I did choose to use my clubcard there is a treat. Tesco will pay me points for processing my shopping habits. With Phorm there is no treat.
Webmasters be Very Afraid
Do you own your own site? If you do not sign up to the OIX system (the ad serving part of Phorm) then Phorm could help to drive your customers to your rivals site.
You see Google uses keywords from your site to drive traffic to your site. Phorm uses keywords from your site to drive customers to your competitor.
Say you sell digital cameras and your site has many reviews. A visitor reads your pages, reads the reviews etc.
If that visitor then starts reading a site which is supplied by an OIX partner then those sites will start displaying ads for digital cameras.
The ground work for displaying those ads was done by your site. The end recipient of any clicks of those ads will be your competitor.
You buttered up the customer. Your competitor clinches the sale.
This is Outrageous! What can I do?
1. Sign the petition:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ispphorm/
2. Write to your MP
3. Write to your ISP customer services department stating that you will leave if they ever implimented a Phorm type system
4. Leave your ISP now and tell them why you have left.
