[AlexanderHanff]

My email to APWG:

Hello,

I am very concerned to see that you have signed up Phorm Inc. as a member. As I am sure you are aware Phorm Inc. have been the root of a major controversy in the UK where they are trying to deploy Layer 7 network technology to generate behavioural profiles of UK broadband users based on the web sites they visit. Phorm Inc. are the new name for 121Media, a company which was pretty much chased out of the US on the threat of law suits regarding their adware which utilised root kit technology.

Senior Law academics, legal experts, technologists, politicians and peers in the House of Lords are pressuring the UK Government to initiate a criminal investigation into Phorm Inc. and one of their partner ISPs for what have been described as illegal trials of the technology in 2006 and 2007. I myself have appeared as a guest speaker at the Phorm PIA public meeting where I discussed the privacy concerns stemming from their proposed technology as well as having appeared on a BBC technology news show (broadcast world wide) and other press/media engagements.

I wrote a legal analysis of the 2006/2007 trials (in which Phorm Inc. were complicit at the very least) which I have attached to this email for you to read. The dissertation has received very positive comments from privacy advocates and legal experts and is in fact being cited at an ISPA Legal Forum in London next month.

I should also advise you that news of your organisation accepting Phorm as a member is being seen in very bad light by the public based on all the feedback I have seen thus far.

I would urge you to refund Phorm Inc. their membership fee and expel them from your organisation in the interests of integrity and public opinion. I am of course available should you wish to contact me and discuss the issue in more detail.

Sincerely,

Alexander Hanff
University of Cumbria

PS: I will be publishing this email in the public domain and any responses I may receive.

Alexander Hanff