Update to the Phorm/BT/CPW/VM saga

Rainmaker · 8 Mar 2008 at 21:58

Hi guys,

Following all the complaints received from the public, The Information Commissioner's Office has declared that it has contacted Phorm and the ISPs involved to find out more about how they plan to collect and use ISP customers' data. Further, a petition has been launched at the Downing Street website for people to call on the government to force ISPs to scrap the implementation of this adware/spyware system.

The BBC have an updated article HERE and the petition can be found HERE.

I've already signed, and would urge everyone else to do the same.
Cheers.

Immsy · 8 Mar 2008 at 22:13

Downing street petition = total waste of energy. Look at all the people who signed the road pricing one and they are still considering bringing it in.

Rainmaker · 8 Mar 2008 at 22:18

That's true, ideally one should complain to the ICO. However, most people don't seem to want to expend that kind of energy (!), so I included the petition link for ease. The previous thread on this matter (which seems to have disappeared without trace?!) did have a link to the complaints form

tolien · 8 Mar 2008 at 23:01

Rainmaker said:
which seems to have disappeared without trace?!

Since when?

edgedemon · 8 Mar 2008 at 23:05

My understanding was that by blocking any cookies from oix.net then they couldn't use any data from you?

Rainmaker · 8 Mar 2008 at 23:11

tolien said:
Since when?

Since I should have gone to SpecSavers, obviously! :rolleyes:

My apologies. I stopped getting reply notifications, so I decided to check for replies manually, and could I find the thread?! Nooo. Tut.

Rainmaker · 8 Mar 2008 at 23:17

edgedemon said:
My understanding was that by blocking any cookies from oix.net then they couldn't use any data from you?

Blocking cookies would stop you being served with ads, it would seem. Though with the resulting absence of an opt-out cookie even that is uncertain at this hazy stage. However, afaik the tracking itself will still take place at the ISP's end, cookie or not. There was a diagram of how it will work on a Reg article a while back. I'll try to dig it out

Interesting to see this part of the BBC article linked above:

...research BT had carried out had shown that customers did want more relevant advertising as a result of their surfing habits being tracked online.

I find that hard to believe, and would love to see the actual survey (more specifically its wording) and raw data involved here. It's either skewed, or BT customers really do need a slap LOL Who in their right minds would say "Ooh, yes, please! Do track my entire online activity so I can see more interesting adverts!"? :rolleyes:

The prevalence of ad-blocking software and add-ons etc seems to point rather the other way...