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

OF1975 · 17-04-2008, 14:57

I just received this response to my letter to one of my MEPs almost a month ago. As I forgot in that initial letter to ask permission/inform them that I would publish their response I am not going to name them

Dear ** *******,

Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.

I very much share in your concerns over the ability of companies to monitor
people's online behaviour for marketing purposes, given the possibility that
this monitoring could lead to the misuse of personal information.

My colleague in Westminster, Don Foster, who is the Liberal Democrat
spokesperson for culture, media and sport, recently wrote to the Chairman of
BT asking him to account for the company's secret piloting of the "Phorm"
system last summer. BT has now said that its trial was a purely technical
one and that no personal information was processed, stored or disclosed.

As far as I'm aware, EU regulation states that subscribers must be given
full explanation about how information relating to their online activities
will be used before they themselves consent to it being used by third
parties. Since I received your email, the UK Information Commissioner has
clarified this to an extent, ruling that internet users must opt-in to
"Phorm" rather than opt-out, which is encouraging - especially as far as
less experienced internet users are concerned.
http://news.bbc.co.uk:80/1/hi/technology/7339263.stm

But I realise that there are still many questions surrounding exactly how
this opt-in system will work in practice. At a public hearing in January the
European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee came to general agreement
that IP addresses constitute personal data, and, as such, any threat to
their security must be treated with the utmost seriousness. I hope that the
Information Commissioner acts quickly to further clarify the situation.

Thanks again for contacting me about this important matter.

Yours sincerely,

************************************************** ************************

Although the response took almost a month to come back overall I am pleased. Gotta dash. Be back later.

17-04-2008, 14:57	#3819
OF1975 Inactive Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Stazi Republic of Phormistan Posts: 329	Re: Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] I just received this response to my letter to one of my MEPs almost a month ago. As I forgot in that initial letter to ask permission/inform them that I would publish their response I am not going to name them Dear ***, Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I very much share in your concerns over the ability of companies to monitor people's online behaviour for marketing purposes, given the possibility that this monitoring could lead to the misuse of personal information. My colleague in Westminster, Don Foster, who is the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for culture, media and sport, recently wrote to the Chairman of BT asking him to account for the company's secret piloting of the "Phorm" system last summer. BT has now said that its trial was a purely technical one and that no personal information was processed, stored or disclosed. As far as I'm aware, EU regulation states that subscribers must be given full explanation about how information relating to their online activities will be used before they themselves consent to it being used by third parties. Since I received your email, the UK Information Commissioner has clarified this to an extent, ruling that internet users must opt-in to "Phorm" rather than opt-out, which is encouraging - especially as far as less experienced internet users are concerned. http://news.bbc.co.uk:80/1/hi/technology/7339263.stm But I realise that there are still many questions surrounding exactly how this opt-in system will work in practice. At a public hearing in January the European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee came to general agreement that IP addresses constitute personal data, and, as such, any threat to their security must be treated with the utmost seriousness. I hope that the Information Commissioner acts quickly to further clarify the situation. Thanks again for contacting me about this important matter. Yours sincerely, ********************************************** ********************** Although the response took almost a month to come back overall I am pleased. Gotta dash. Be back later.