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New Govt petition / British Telecom spying
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codger
Posts: 2,079 Forumite
in Techie Stuff
A number of UK ISPs, notably British Telecom, are intending to profit from routeing subscriber traffic through third-party computers based in China and owned and operated by a company in the tax haven of Delaware, USA.
The company is web ad delivery provider Phorm. The background of some of those associated with it does not make for comfortable reading.
BT (and other ISPs) are hoping to avoid UK privacy legislation as follows:
1) by saying the PHORM service is an opt-in;
2) that no personal information is transmitted.
In fact, the routeing of an individual subscriber's traffic through Phorm so that Phorm can sample and analyse a computer user's online behaviour, browsing habits, etc is a clear third-party intrusion.
Not only that: no traffic is excepted. Whether the user allows BT Internet to install a cookie on his / her home computer or not, their Internet usage will no longer be a matter between them and their ISP but between them, BT Internet, and Phorm, for which Phorm will pay considerable sums to British Telecom but nothing at all to the British Telecom customer.
A petition has now been organised in hope of raising the profile of this issue.
If as a UK consumer you care about your rights and your privacy, please spare a moment or two to add your name to the newly launched petition:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ispphorm
There's actually more to be saved here than money alone.
* Though as a MoneySaver tip, there can now be none better -- if you're a customer of British Telecom or Virgin -- than to ensure that you cancel their ISP service as soon as your contractual subscription period is at an end.
The company is web ad delivery provider Phorm. The background of some of those associated with it does not make for comfortable reading.
BT (and other ISPs) are hoping to avoid UK privacy legislation as follows:
1) by saying the PHORM service is an opt-in;
2) that no personal information is transmitted.
In fact, the routeing of an individual subscriber's traffic through Phorm so that Phorm can sample and analyse a computer user's online behaviour, browsing habits, etc is a clear third-party intrusion.
Not only that: no traffic is excepted. Whether the user allows BT Internet to install a cookie on his / her home computer or not, their Internet usage will no longer be a matter between them and their ISP but between them, BT Internet, and Phorm, for which Phorm will pay considerable sums to British Telecom but nothing at all to the British Telecom customer.
A petition has now been organised in hope of raising the profile of this issue.
If as a UK consumer you care about your rights and your privacy, please spare a moment or two to add your name to the newly launched petition:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ispphorm
There's actually more to be saved here than money alone.
* Though as a MoneySaver tip, there can now be none better -- if you're a customer of British Telecom or Virgin -- than to ensure that you cancel their ISP service as soon as your contractual subscription period is at an end.
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Comments
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well, to start, phorm is OPT OUT not in, and even opting out doesn't prevent the information being gathered, it just stops the ads.
the only petition thats going to work is leaving these companies, they have a well deserved bad reputation, yet people stay with them because they're either cheap or well known. there are hundreds of isps out there, its easy to migrate, vote with your feet (and wallet)Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant.0 -
My advice:
Ditch and Switch.
Hit them where it hurts in the pocket, will have more effect than any petition.
The bad news is most of the friendly ISP's are only monthly contracts so some people may drift back given a good offer or change from BT about using Phorm.badphorm.co.uk wrote:0 -
BT, Virgin and Talk Talk (Carphone Warehouse) are the ISPs who will implement this technology. The answer is really simple. Rather than whine and moan about it, change ISP to one who doesn't use it. It's called customer choice.
b.t.w. Useful article in The Register showing how it all works - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/29/phorm_documents/
Mike0 -
Yes but the only problem is that Virgin are the only cable ISP so if you want fast broadband you're stuck. It's also expensive to move as you'd need to get a BT line installed first.It's my problem, it's my problem
If I feel the need to hide
And it's my problem if I have no friends
And feel I want to die0 -
BillScarab wrote: »Yes but the only problem is that Virgin are the only cable ISP so if you want fast broadband you're stuck. It's also expensive to move as you'd need to get a BT line installed first.
Better than knowing people can read your online web based Emails.0 -
This seems to be a fine example of corporate greed.
BT - and the other ISPs involved - should be asked to explain how this benefits their customers in any way.
From the Register's explanation of how it works, this will mean extra network delay and more potential points of failure for all of their customers - including the ones that opt out.
I'm sure they will try and justify it by saying "how useful targeted adverts are" to their customers. But in reality, a targeted advert doesn't represent best value to the end users - it just reflects the company which is prepared to pay the most money to get their advert seen.
Does anyone happen to know if other BT-owned ISPs such as PlusNet will be participating in this shameful scheme?0 -
Apparently at the moment Phorm are only working with BT, Virgin and Talk Talk as they are the three biggest ISP's. They are also supposed to be looking at woking with Sky, Orange and Tiscali. From what I've read of this in the past most of the smaller ISP's are refusing to get involved with them.It's my problem, it's my problem
If I feel the need to hide
And it's my problem if I have no friends
And feel I want to die0 -
That's my situation.BillScarab wrote: »Yes but the only problem is that Virgin are the only cable ISP so if you want fast broadband you're stuck. It's also expensive to move as you'd need to get a BT line installed first.
So it's not a good MoneySaver tip.
:rolleyes:Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.0 -
I suppose it could be argued by the companies involved that the revenue generated will be used to keep down the cost of their connections and to fund investment in greater bandwidth. As an employee of a company that supplies some of the large systems used to run the Internet I can testify that they don't come cheap.0
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sign up at any online shop, use a Tesco Clubcard, search on google, have a sky box and leave it plugged in
ALL the above log and use that data
can't see the problem.Ex forum ambassador
Long term forum member0
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