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

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by vicz

The report referenced in that article is a damned good read http://www.freepress.net/files/NebuAd_Report.pdf

Indeed it is. It confirms as I suspected from looking at Nebuad's opt-out, that they also add javascript to the bottom of some pages. Blocking faireagle.com is one option, also sending bogus data in requests might be fun - I guess I'll have to improve Nebuad support in my own FF extension

[vicz]

Originally Posted by bluecar1

perhahps pete could even superimpose a pic of kents head on the arse he he the possibilities are endless, come on pete show us some ideas

peter

---------- Post added at 12:47 ---------- Previous post was at 12:46 ----------



are nebuad listed on aim? or anywhere else in the UK?

peter

Doesn't look like it:

Management Team

Robert Dykes, Founder, Chairman & CEO

Kira Makagon, Co-Founder & President

Dan Miller, Chief Financial Officer

Lebin Cheng, Co-founder & Vice President, Appliance Engineering

Mike Matthys, Senior Vice President, World Wide ISP Solutions

Mike Miller, Vice President, Advertising Sales

Scott Tavenner, Vice President, Business Development

Paul Goad, Managing Director, UK
Investors

NebuAd is funded by the premier investment firms Menlo Ventures and Sierra Ventures.

Some names for our PIs to be digging into though....

Seems like most of the US contingent are from a finance / marketing background, rather than the traditional spyware though.

[BetBlowWhistler]

If Robert Topolski wanders in the forum, give him a pat on the back for an outstanding report. Concise and very damning for NebuAD (and Phorm - this is the model they used during the 2006 trial)

[vicz]

So this slipped in under the radar back in January - Nebuad announcing their UK office. Also the MD, Paul Goad came from Tacoda, a click tracking agency.

http://www.reuters.com/article/press...008+BW20080122

Looking at the technologies deployed it looks like both pagesense and nebuad were 99% identical during the BT trials but then phorm moved on slightly to a non-embedded js solution. Would be interesting to watch these two slug it out over patents! Maybe those ISPs who proudly announced themselves 'phorm free' need to be asked whether they are free from all parasites not just phorm.

[bluecar1]

Originally Posted by vicz

So this slipped in under the radar back in January - Nebuad announcing their UK office. Also the MD, Paul Goad came from Tacoda, a click tracking agency.

http://www.reuters.com/article/press...008+BW20080122

Looking at the technologies deployed it looks like both pagesense and nebuad were 99% identical during the BT trials but then phorm moved on slightly to a non-embedded js solution. Would be interesting to watch these two slug it out over patents! Maybe those ISPs who proudly announced themselves 'phorm free' need to be asked whether they are free from all parasites not just phorm.

look it his official past

http://www.nebuad.com/company/bios/bio_goad.php

[icsys]

Originally Posted by Deko

who on here has made FIO requests to the HO ?

so does one of our number have this outstanding as part of a FOI request , or is this delaying tatics until they say "national security or something"

That could be me.
Answers (assuming I get them) are not due for several more weeks.


Conspiracy theory...

The home Office want ISP's to monitor web-traffic 'in the interests of security'. However the ISP's say they can't or won't do this.
Phorm technology can monitor all web traffic.
Phorm joins up with ISP's and give a cash incentive to the ISP's for the interception of their customers.
The Home Office gets what they want, the ISP gets a cash boost, Phorm makes a tidy profit.
Everyone is happy... well everyone except Joe Public. (Are you still with us Joe?)

Could this be why the ICO and Home Office are refusing to step on BT's toes?
Still think all this Phorm nonsense is just about targeted advertising??

[ilago]

Bob Dykes was previously on the staff of the Gator Corporation. There's some more about NebuAd in this item.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/E...-Service-93375

Lots about Gator, since also called Claria and Gain here
http://www.alanluber.com/pcfearfacto...agatorpage.htm

Gator has/had a long history of install spyware, serving advertising and datamining. They sued a spyware removal website for publishing the removal procedure and forced them to republish an "approved" removal method.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/34679

In 2005 Microsoft was found to be considering purchasing the Gator corporation but withdrew.
http://www.benedelman.org/news/063005-1.html

Ben Edelman is a respected researcher on spyware.
http://www.benedelman.org/news/112904-1.html

This is relevant. Apologies for so many links. Both NebuAd and Phorm have long histories and experience in spyware, adware and some of the most offensive installation tactics used.

Can't these people get real jobs like the rest of us?

[vicz]

Originally Posted by bluecar1

look it his official past

http://www.nebuad.com/company/bios/bio_goad.php

Wow that page managed to tickle both Adblock and Noscript!

---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:45 ----------

Originally Posted by ilago

Bob Dykes was previously on the staff of the Gator Corporation. There's some more about NebuAd in this item.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/E...-Service-93375

Lots about Gator, since also called Claria and Gain here
http://www.alanluber.com/pcfearfacto...agatorpage.htm

Gator has/had a long history of install spyware, ...

Can't these people get real jobs like the rest of us?

Good spot! so they ARE sticking with the scumware tradition then. Sigh.

[BetBlowWhistler]

From Phorms' press release dated 11th March 2008

Phorm is committed to open and transparent disclosure. Prior to
its announcement on 14 February 2008, the Company initiated a
dialogue with the Information Commissioner's Office, together
with many other leading stakeholders in the area of online
privacy, to share details of its technology which Phorm believes
sets a new 'gold standard' on privacy and anonymity. The
reactions we have received to date have been very encouraging.
Further details are available at Phorm’s website www.phorm.com

"transparent disclosure" <- Oops, they 'forgot' to mention the trials then They also made a public statement to the effect that there was no 'undisclosed commercial reason' for the stock price plummet. Possibly technically accurate, but not exactly in the spirit of transparent disclosure is it.

They will only admit to something when they are pinned against the wall. How on earth can they turn around and tell people to trust them?

These people are so ****** up they're almost a parody of themselves. I say almost because parody is funny. Phorm is not.

[vicz]

Wow the more you look at these two companies (phorm, NebuAd) the more alike they are: background, products, business model, PR spin - genuine evil twins!

[serial]

Originally Posted by ilago

Bob Dykes was previously on the staff of the Gator Corporation.

Do you have evidence for this?

[Florence]

Originally Posted by bluecar1

look it his official past

http://www.nebuad.com/company/bios/bio_goad.php

Well if we spot an ISP offering this service then it will get the same legla treatment since it is opt-in by default so breaking the Ripa, privacy again like Phorm.

[icsys]

Originally Posted by vicz

Wow the more you look at these two companies (phorm, NebuAd) the more alike they are: background, products, business model, PR spin - genuine evil twins!

NebuAd Services Privacy Policy

Information Collection
Our products do not require ISPs to provide us with access to their records regarding end-users’ personal information. NebuAd delivers its services without collecting and using personally identifiable information such as the following:

Email Addresses
Names
Street Addresses
Telephone Numbers
Social Security Numbers ⁄ Social Insurance Numbers
Numbers associated with your health plan insurance or other coverage
Financial information, including credit card numbers, login IDs, passwords, or bank account numbers

While we do not know the identity of these subscribers, NebuAd products do collect and use the following kinds of anonymous information:

Web pages viewed and links clicked on
Web search terms
The amount of time spent at some Web sites
Response to advertisements
System settings, such as the browser used and speed of the connection
ZIP code or postal code

Opt-Out
To opt-out of NebuAd’s information collection and targeted ads, it is necessary to install a cookie on your computer. This cookie identifies that you have opted-out.

If you delete the opt-out cookie, or if you change computers or Web browsers, you will need to opt-out again.


You could be forgiven in thinking they are the same company but with different trading names.

[Ravenheart]

Hmm.. these people are really vague on hard facts when it comes to the business of spying

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3628009

[pseudonym]

Originally Posted by vicz

Wow the more you look at these two companies (phorm, NebuAd) the more alike they are: background, products, business model, PR spin - genuine evil twins!

Nebuad looks to be by far the "superior" system if you want accurate targetting information.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NebuAd

Nebuad uses data such as Web search terms, page views, page and ad clicks, time spent on specific sites, zip code, browser info and connection speed to categorise its user's interests.[16] Bob Dykes, NebuAd CEO claims "We have 800 [consumer interest segments] today and we're expanding that to multiple thousands".[17]

It is also live in the US while phorm is still in its trial stages.

If Phorm want to compete I think they'll have to improve the amount of detail they collect.