Cable Forum - View Single Post - Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]

mrjolly · 09-04-2008, 10:54

I noticed this morning that there's an early day motion up on the parliament website that currently has 16 signatures - including a few I recognise too!

TARGETED ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGY

Foster, Don

That this House notes the recent developments in targeted internet advertising, particularly the emergence of the company Phorm; notes with concern the reported technical test conducted by BT last summer, where BT were accused of using Phorm to track customers without their knowledge or prior consent; believes that a system whereby consumers opt-in to Phorm would be far more transparent and appropriate than the opt-out system currently proposed by Phorm; and therefore calls on internet service providers to make Phorm an opt-in service.
----

Hi Phorm team!

Is anything being done about the flaws that have been found in the Phorm system that have major privacy implications? The one where someones webwise UID is made available to any site that wants it, and the one that allows a website to opt a person into being intercepted and tracked without their knowledge or consent.

Here's 2 quite serious implications, I'm sure there are lots more.
Sites can opt users in without their knowledge and then collaborate to track the user themselves.
Sites can publish the webwise UID's along with a list of pages accessed thereby exposing personal details along with possible 'sensitive' information.

Not really a gold standard, is it?

09-04-2008, 10:54	#2679
mrjolly Inactive Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 6	Re: Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] I noticed this morning that there's an early day motion up on the parliament website that currently has 16 signatures - including a few I recognise too! TARGETED ADVERTISING TECHNOLOGY Foster, Don That this House notes the recent developments in targeted internet advertising, particularly the emergence of the company Phorm; notes with concern the reported technical test conducted by BT last summer, where BT were accused of using Phorm to track customers without their knowledge or prior consent; believes that a system whereby consumers opt-in to Phorm would be far more transparent and appropriate than the opt-out system currently proposed by Phorm; and therefore calls on internet service providers to make Phorm an opt-in service. ---- Hi Phorm team! Is anything being done about the flaws that have been found in the Phorm system that have major privacy implications? The one where someones webwise UID is made available to any site that wants it, and the one that allows a website to opt a person into being intercepted and tracked without their knowledge or consent. Here's 2 quite serious implications, I'm sure there are lots more. Sites can opt users in without their knowledge and then collaborate to track the user themselves. Sites can publish the webwise UID's along with a list of pages accessed thereby exposing personal details along with possible 'sensitive' information. Not really a gold standard, is it?