In reply to our learned friend Alexander Hanff...
And hello all, from a BT customer who has been following this issue since February.
Alexander: Amazingly, Emma Sanderson's email to you is almost exactly the same as the email I received from Christine Hutchinson...
Quote:
Many thanks for your letter [to] Jillian Lewis. Please accept my sincere apologies for the delay in getting back to you.
I can confirm that on the 14 Feb BT, Talk Talk and Virgin Media all confirmed that we had entered into agreements with Phorm, enabling us to offer to our customers a new free internet feature called Webwise. Webwise provides an additional level of protection against malicious websites and ensures fewer irrelevant ads. In essence, it’s a safer and more relevant browsing experience. Prior to the announcement BT thoroughly researched Webwise and was encouraged by the very positive consumer response to the service.
Clearly our customer's privacy is extremely important to us. Information on users’ browsing is completely anonymous. The system doesn't store personally identifiable information, doesn't store URLs, IP addresses or retain browsing histories and the raw data used is deleted in real time - by the time the page loads. Webwise does not scan webmail pages so your emails on Gmail, Yahoo mail or Hotmail are not scanned. Secure pages like your banking websites and web forms like any online registration or sign-up forms are not scanned. No personal information often contained in form fields is therefore ever captured by the system. No data is passed outside of BT's network. Webwise privacy standards have been verified by external auditor Ernst & Young and leading privacy advocate Simon Davies, MD of 80/20 Thinking, has also carried out a Privacy Impact Assessment on Webwise technology. Of course BT, and I am sure the same applies to TalkTalk and Virgin Media, have all completed appropriate due diligence on Phorm, we also understand that other ISPs both in and outside of the UK are currently talking to them.
BT is, of course, aware of the legal requirements regarding interception of communications under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. We consider that these steps will meet the legal requirements of RIPA and also ensure that customers are able to take a fully informed decision as to whether to take the service.
BT expects to begin technical trials of the BT Webwise service in the coming weeks. We will be inviting around 10,000 BT broadband customers to take part in the trial. The trial invitation will be presented through a special web page that will appear when those customers start a web browsing session. At this point, those customers invited can choose to switch on BT Webwise, choose not to take part or to find out more information. Customers choosing not to take part will not have their browsing information mirrored or profiled, and no information will go to the BT managed profiler. No information is gathered, and therefore no information is forwarded to Phorm. Customers who opt out will not come into contact with any Phorm-managed equipment. The www.bt.com/webwise site also contains detailed information on the service and a one-click option to switch the service off, which can be activated at any point during the trial. Alternatively customers can block the www.webwise.net domain. The BT Privacy Policy and BT Total Broadband Service Terms will be amended accordingly, we do not consider this a material change. As you may have seen, BT has also confirmed publicly that in parallel with the trial, we are already developing a solution for customers that do not want the service - that removes the need for 'opt-out' cookies altogether.
To summarise, our customer research shows that lots of people would be keen to see advertisements that are relevant to their interests, we are planning to trial the service shortly, BT customers may be invited to participate in the trial (via a webpage) but the choice as to whether or not they participate is entirely theirs. Furthermore BT is committing to providing it's customers with a choice as to whether they want this service or not going forward - it will be optional.
Regards
Christine Hutchinson
Assistant to the Chairman and Chief Executive
Please note the
bold text in the email above which I was sent (my added emphasis). I note that your email text did not include this. Are you a BT customer? Or is it that they have just realised customers are wise to the contractual law position, which allows the customer to decide that THEY (the customer) are entitled to determine it IS a material change and thus terminate their agreement without penalty...?
Your email quote Alexander:
The BT Privacy Policy and BT Total Broadband Service Terms will be amended accordingly. As you may have seen, BT has also confirmed publicly that in parallel with the trial, we are already developing a solution for customers that do not want the service - that removes the need for 'opt-out' cookies altogether.
I wish I could have been in London for the meeting on Tuesday. I hope to see/hear a recording of it. Or I am sure someone will transcribe. Very eager to see where they propose to go on it now. Nearly every road they turn down gets rough, diverted from or closed off, so I wonder where this will go next (hopefully down one final dead end, but I doubt it, they seem intent on dragging it out for a slow and painful ending)
Hank