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

[warescouse]

Most of us I am sure have been mentioning to friends the Phorm link up with ISP's and its illegal interception of data and attempt to make people aware, but is it just me or do any others find it difficult at times to talk to friends who are a little 'technophobic'.

Although we do our bit and complain to the powers that be that make high level decisions and can also make 'waves' I think that education of the masses is very important aspect of the campaign. I wonder if anybody has a 'good' but simple method that works I can use with most people and doesn't make the person delivering the educational sermon (myself) seem like a person with a fanatical cause. I think I bore myself also too easily at times

[OldBear]

Quick follow up to my earlier post about Martin Lewis' MSE site:

Here's what happened last time I posted there: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....html?t=877917

By Alfie E:

I’ve tried to get people’s attention. I even tried to get the attention of Martin S Lewis Ltd staff, as I feel the company have a commercial interest in preserving the privacy of their website’s users. So far, none of us have managed to make much of an impact.

I’m not completely surprised. This is a website for money saving, not privacy preserving. I don’t use loyalty cards or cashback sites. Nevertheless, I know many MSEers do.

This isn’t a criticism of Martin’s overall approach. Privacy is outside the scope of MSE. If it were brought into the mix, it would risk producing a confused muddle. I’ve explained to Phorm that they’re doing it all wrong. Forcing it upon British customers is guaranteed to cause resentment. Setting up separate Webwise products, with financial incentives for using them, stands a much better chance. If it were offered like that, I could even see Martin suggesting it as an acceptable way to save money, with the usual caveats. Look at the colossal size of MSE, then compare it to privacy-related fora. I don’t have an enormous amount of confidence in the British public; I fear we’re too easily bribed.

You'll also notice the advice I was given in the last post,

Oldbear - use the search function, this topic has been brought up a few times by myself and others

Well, Phorm had been, (and the threads all died without a trace) but not the FIPR letter to the HO.

Oh dear.

OB

[mark777]

Oddly enough :-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...1#post10740871

Bang on about the discount whilst the message goes across?

Perhaps someone with a few posts under their belts on that site next?

Originally Posted by mark777

Oddly enough :-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...1#post10740871

Bang on about the discount whilst the message goes accross?

Good opening post

[warescouse]

Originally Posted by Hank

Good opening post

Seconded

[Florence]

Originally Posted by mark777

Oddly enough :-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...1#post10740871

Bang on about the discount whilst the message goes accross?

Strange but the thinkbroadband forums seem to not have any threads on phorm either.

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/threads.php?Cat=

[SimonHickling]

Blimey they're all at it.

http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2008/0...avafx_privacy/

[OF1975]

I just finished a rather lengthy email to the moneysavingexpert website. I will let people know if i get any response from martin. Now its bed time. My arthritis is killing me. Happy Phorm Fighting friends. Niters.

[wecpc]

After two letters to the BT Chairman's Office, followed up by two emails over a period of at least 6 weeks and finally after a phone call I made today, I have finally got my MAC key.

I was also told by the person from the Chairman's Office that if I get charged for cancelling my recently renewed contract early (just before hell broke loose), to let him know and he would cancel all the charges as he could see that I have had a lot of trouble in the past including the illegal inteception.

So everything comes to who waits eventually, so I am off and have already given my MAC to O2, so the next few days cannot come soon enough.

Colin

[mark777]

Originally Posted by SimonHickling

Blimey they're all at it.

http://www.regdeveloper.co.uk/2008/0...avafx_privacy/

"The company's Project Insight will see "instrumentation" added to PCs, mobiles and Blu-ray devices that run JavaFX, which feed data back through a special data stream to a hosted service. Codenamed Project Hydrazine, the service is run by Sun for the benefit of third parties."

Why do they always pick names that sound like toxic waste?

--

Thanks OF1975.

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

Perhaps request that the post be made a sticky in a (locked) thread of its own, to make it more visible? Thread title to be decided?

Post in question copied and stuck for all to find easily and see.

Thread is called:-

Links to protest at the possible deployment of Phorm.

[mark777]

Thanks Mick.

This link below on the moneysaving expert site :-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....html?t=901747

If we can keep it near the top, it will be near a thread almost as big as this one and lots of people will see it.

I think it's best to keep it money orientated at first though, and just drip feed the message. Any help would be (and is ) appreciated.

Time for bed.

[Chroma]

So in essence they could see that your browsing moneysaving expert and pass along this nice little nugget to say experian or some other credit scoring firm who could then flag you as a credit risk. Experian would merely have to be an OIX partner for this to take place.

As to the reputation. They where previously known as 121 media whos primary line of work was spyware, they offered up a toolbar for internet explorer that logged everything you did in order to pass these details on to their partners.
This software i might add was neigh on impossable to uninstall without a graduate degree in computer science.

Hopefully this should raise an eyebrow or two on MSE.

Im aware its scaremongering, but is that any worse than Phorm spin?
I figure if it gets even 3 people to look further into the matter then nope.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Mark777

Why do they always pick names that sound like toxic waste?

The more esoteric the name the better, it suits finantial types well and it gives management a hardon. you need only read a few mission statements to understand that a completely unconnected sequence of random vague buzzwords is the way forward.

<A breif excursion into the mind of a suit>
PHORM?
WTF does that even mean?
I dunno but it sounds high tech, means they must have boffins involved that know something other people dont.
Other people will want to understand it so they'll buy it.
This means money!
MMMMmmmmmm MONEH!
Money is good, where do i invest in order to maximise my gains from this?
ooooooh look theres a company golf tournament comming up!
[out to lunch]
</end breif excursion>

So as you can see the more technologicaly vague the name the better.
Guidelines:
Stick to substituting one letter for two or removing a letter (ie: f =ph, n = pn or qu = Q)
Greeks and romans where smart, use greek/roman gods, mythology wherever possable, abundant uses of X, Y and Z also add a tech vibe, greek alphabet is also a winner!
μPromethius or Æherzure is bound to make money on the stockmarket, it could take decades before anyone even figures out what the hell they do!

[OF1975]

Originally Posted by Mick

Post in question copied and stuck for all to find easily and see.

Thread is called:-

Links to protest at the possible deployment of Phorm.

Thanks a lot mick.

---------- Post added at 07:38 ---------- Previous post was at 07:37 ----------

Originally Posted by mark777

Thanks Mick.

This link below on the moneysaving expert site :-

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....html?t=901747

If we can keep it near the top, it will be near a thread almost as big as this one and lots of people will see it.

I think it's best to keep it money orientated at first though, and just drip feed the message. Any help would be (and is ) appreciated.

Time for bed.

I will get on that later on this morning. I don't have much time right now but you can count on it being done later

[davews]

Originally Posted by Florence

Strange but the thinkbroadband forums seem to not have any threads on phorm either.

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/threads.php?Cat=

There are a few, but they all seem to have gone quiet at the moment:

http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/showthre...Number=3271364
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/showthre...Number=3271372
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/showthre...Number=3322359