Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]

[CaptJamieHunter]

Originally Posted by unicus

I've just had an email from my MP which was just a forward of the email he got from BT. It contained a short PDF entitled 'BT and Phorm - 4 April 2008' here's the text;

It also has a picture of the house of parliament in the top right

This is only what I'd expect from BT (an attempt to obfuscate the truth where possible) but I want to know what my MP thinks - I shall reply...

Please put your MP right!

There's an HTML version of the letter I sent to MPs and peers at http://urltea.com/33rt if it's any help.

[Altern8]

Originally Posted by unicus

"Prior to the announcement, BT thoroughly researched Webwise and was encouraged by the very positive consumer response to the service."

That made me laugh. I assume this research was the secret trails they conducted in 2006/2007 that noone knew about. *shrug*

[OF1975]

Ok its been almost 3 weeks since I wrote to my MP and I have had no response whatsoever from him. Not even an aknowledgement of having received my letter. Time to draft a second letter to him this time asking what steps he intends to take to ensure that the home office investigate the criminal breaches of RIPA by BT and Phorm. Suggestions are of course welcome.

Edit: I have just seen the link to CaptJamieHunters letter and so will base my letter around his although naturally I will rewrite sections. We dont want to flood MPs with identical letters as that will just switch them off. Thanks for posting the letter online Jamie.

[unicus]

I've had another email from my MP (while I was doing the last post) and I'm not the only constituent to contact him. I didn't ask if I could post his reply but he's raised his concerns with the Minister and he's not convinced by their (BT & Phorm's I guess) claims regarding privacy

I've pointed him to http://www.inphormationdesk.org/

[CaptJamieHunter]

Originally Posted by OF1975

Edit: I have just seen the link to CaptJamieHunters letter and so will base my letter around his although naturally I will rewrite sections. We dont want to flood MPs with identical letters as that will just switch them off. Thanks for posting the letter online Jamie.

Each letter I send is only based around that - it's tweaked depending on the person getting it, their interests and backgrounds. If you can aim the part about their data being intercepted at mentioning the people they are likely to know and deal with the impact should be better. It's there for people to use and spread the word.

[OF1975]

Ok, someone mentioned in the comments on The Register Website that we could make a petition regarding RIPA on this site: http://www.petitiononline.com/

I would welcome input on the following which I am considering posting to that site:

"We, the hereby undersigned, petition the United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown to ask the Home Office to launch an investigation into British Telecom and Phorms criminal breach of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) during secret trials in 2006 and 2007.

BT have recently admitted to carrying out secret trials of Phorms technology in 2006 and 2007 without their users consent or permission. Many experts, including the Foundation for Information Policy Research and also the Open Rights Group, contend that these trials constituted illegal interception and as such were a criminal breach of RIPA.

We ask that the Prime Minister require the Home Office to launch an investigation into these breaches which constitute a large scale intrustion of online-privacy."

[Florence]

Originally Posted by unicus

I've just had an email from my MP which was just a forward of the email he got from BT. It contained a short PDF entitled 'BT and Phorm - 4 April 2008' here's the text;

It also has a picture of the house of parliament in the top right

This is only what I'd expect from BT (an attempt to obfuscate the truth where possible) but I want to know what my MP thinks - I shall reply...

Might be worth pointing out that if public feel we are being let down by the government we will vote with our feet and vote for a party that will help protect us from this illegal activity.

---------- Post added at 17:07 ---------- Previous post was at 16:57 ----------

Originally Posted by OF1975

Apologies for this as its offtopic but I see bill gates has been involved in a late aprils fools joke claiming that windows 7 will be released within a year

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7334123.stm

screenshots from the new windows 7 http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/win7_6519.asp

[mark777]

Originally Posted by unicus

I've just had an email from my MP which was just a forward of the email he got from BT. It contained a short PDF entitled 'BT and Phorm - 4 April 2008' here's the text;

{....}

It also has a picture of the house of parliament in the top right

This is only what I'd expect from BT (an attempt to obfuscate the truth where possible) but I want to know what my MP thinks - I shall reply...

Bearing in mind this looks like their standard response to MP's queries, it might be worth picking it apart, line by line, to point out the spin.

An MP will take exception to a deliberately evasive reply, and lot's of MP's have probably had one.

[bonzoe]

Originally Posted by OF1975

Ok, someone mentioned in the comments on The Register Website that we could make a petition regarding RIPA on this site: http://www.petitiononline.com/

I would welcome input on the following which I am considering posting to that site:
<snip>
"

Just remember that the petition will not get a response until AFTER it ends, so make the end date not too far in the future

[thebarron]

Well its getting a broader coverage now still tech press mainly.

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/185310/f...-on-phorm.html

http://www.p2pnet.net/story/15511

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communicatio...9381035,00.htm

http://www.telecoms.com/itmgcontent/...017520841.html

http://www.zeropaid.com/news/9386/Ph...rials+Continue

http://www.computing.co.uk/computing...bt-phorm-trial

[popper]

you beat me to it, i was collating todays mentions links so far too.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/news/EkpZVZEVylidKqGaMw.html

http://www.datamonitor.com/industrie...&type=NewsWire

http://www.research-live.com/news_st...=y&newsid=4477

http://www.computerweekly.com/Articl...rm-privacy.htm

[manxminx]

I've had the following reply from my MP:

Thank you for your e-mail below. We have already had letters expressing similar concerns, and have as requested written to the Secretary of State for Justice to ask him for his views on the matter. We'll let you know when we have a response from him.

That's looking positive then! Keep on sending those letters!

I've also had a personal reply from one of my MEP's office to say that my MEP will reply personally in due course.

I also sent an altered version of CaptJamieHunters letter to my local councillors (warning them of the danger of their web browsing being intercepted etc). No reply as yet.

Ali.

[mark777]

If Phorm is "spoofing" cookies into other sites domains and that site has a published cookie policy, where does that leave the site?

I hear from BBC radio that the Chinese Gov. is looking for a PR company to help spin them through the Tibet issues. I bet they end up with a UK one.

[Ravenheart]

Be quick

Submit a question to Gordon Brown

http://www.labour.org.uk/

I've asked "why are government departments ignoring British Telecom and Phorms criminal breach of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) during secret trials in 2006 and 2007."

[CaptJamieHunter]

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

Be quick

Submit a question to Gordon Brown

http://www.labour.org.uk/

I've asked "why are government departments ignoring British Telecom and Phorms criminal breach of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) during secret trials in 2006 and 2007."

Coo, thanks. I've asked why the Home Office and the Information Commissioner's Office have refused to investigate the illegal actions of BT and Phorm which shatter privacy legislation.