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

Originally Posted by notophorm

OH and I did seek legal advice through my Union membership which gives me free 30 minutes with a solicitor. I was told much the same as has been stated before by other members of this forum.

Big credit for that - getting free advice from the Union solicitor was a very nice move.

[Florence]

Originally Posted by Peter N

Big credit for that - getting free advice from the Union solicitor was a very nice move.

Is it time a group of people start up a vouluntary help group bit like one that deals with helping small website owners fight larger companies using copyrighted content. Sure if one was started then we could try to get help from the EU just as other groups looking after the evironment, human rights etc.

Is it time to get more organised.

[Dephormation]

Originally Posted by Florence

Is it time a group of people start up a vouluntary help group bit like one that deals with helping small website owners fight larger companies using copyrighted content. Sure if one was started then we could try to get help from the EU just as other groups looking after the evironment, human rights etc.

Is it time to get more organised.

I've given this a lot of thought, with help from friends and solicitors... Don't want to say too much else at this stage... But it is going to happen if Phorm is ever switched on again.

And BT/Phorm are in for a very unwelcome suprise too.

Regulars will know that I am very wary of us being seen as "organised".

I think that one of the strongest things working in our favour is that we are simply customers of the main ISPs who object to a new proposal that will affect our privacy. If we become a single voice then we lose that advantage and it just becomes a fight between two large groups and people may not identify with us in the same way.

My experience is that once a movement becomes "organised" it becomes seen as political and the accusations start to fly about the "real reasons" for any protests. We'd end up spending any air-time justifying our existence and most likely alienate the whole of Middle England who still smell commies at every turn.

I would have thought that these forums should suffice especially this one as it has the PM facility. It is also wide open to scrutiny and transparency is one of our key issues.

---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 ----------

Originally Posted by Dephormation

I've given this a lot of thought, with help from friends and solicitors... Don't want to say too much else at this stage... But it is going to happen if Phorm is ever switched on again.

And BT/Phorm are in for a very unwelcome suprise too.

Consider my interest as thoroughly peaked...

[Florence]

Originally Posted by Dephormation

I've given this a lot of thought, with help from friends and solicitors... Don't want to say too much else at this stage... But it is going to happen if Phorm is ever switched on again.

And BT/Phorm are in for a very unwelcome suprise too.

Might even be worth looking at a registration fee to allow you to dsiplay a logo saying you are a partner to this body and any infringments would be dealt with...

[bluecar1]

Originally Posted by Dephormation

I've given this a lot of thought, with help from friends and solicitors... Don't want to say too much else at this stage... But it is going to happen if Phorm is ever switched on again.

And BT/Phorm are in for a very unwelcome suprise too.

i think that is a good idea as a sort of representaive body in general for webmaster with legal issues, phorm being one of many but i tend to agree with peter n

and this is diluting the topic

if you start anything pm me though

peter

[Florence]

Originally Posted by Peter N

Regulars will know that I am very wary of us being seen as "organised".

I think that one of the strongest things working in our favour is that we are simply customers of the main ISPs who object to a new proposal that will affect our privacy. If we become a single voice then we lose that advantage and it just becomes a fight between two large groups and people may not identify with us in the same way.

My experience is that once a movement becomes "organised" it becomes seen as political and the accusations start to fly about the "real reasons" for any protests. We'd end up spending any air-time justifying our existence and most likely alienate the whole of Middle England who still smell commies at every turn.

I would have thought that these forums should suffice especially this one as it has the PM facility. It is also wide open to scrutiny and transparency is one of our key issues.

---------- Post added at 12:30 ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 ----------



Consider my interest as thoroughly peaked...

I know what you are saying and I wouldn't normally say get more organised but if Phorm does start to be rolled out vis all larger ISPs then small website developers, those with charity websites do need something. I would have said the ICO, ripa etc would do the job but sadly they seem to be lacking in vision, responsibility or understanding that or blindly led by the nose through all the BS.. MPO

[notophorm]

Originally Posted by Peter N

Big credit for that - getting free advice from the Union solicitor was a very nice move.

Thank you,

I have a lot of copyright publications that has been given to me for free by the publishers and authors. They are on a secure section of the site, for the benefit of my members only.

One interesting point also came up..

Would the use of BT by implimenting the Phorm profiling system be an intent to breach website copyright?

Unfortunatly a test case may be needed to decide the answer to that one. A case could be taken forward before the system went live, and that case would be strengthened by the fact that as BT have publicly admitted profiling sites in 2006.

Unfortunatly a question was just raised in the session, and would be something for a more experienced solicitor would need to look at.

It is a nice warm cuddly feeling to know as a web master I have lots of rights in my favour.

[gnilddif]

Originally Posted by Rob M

I certainly think they're relevant if they can be shown to be directly linked to the discussion at hand.

However (comma) if you want to discuss the intricacies of learning how to use and interpret traceroute, or if you want some help understanding how and why it works, then we have a wonderful (and quite friendly, if sometimes a little mad) 'Networking' section of Cable Forum which is just perfect for that sort of discussion.

You might even find that some of the techies who hang out there haven't been following this thread, but are able to give you some great advice on the subject of traceroutes

Fair enough - thanks for the link Rob.
gnilddif

[bluecar1]

Originally Posted by gnilddif

Fair enough - thanks for the link Rob.
gnilddif

started a new thread over on the networking bit requesting help with route monitoring here .

will let you all know if anything turns up

peter

Originally Posted by Florence

I know what you are saying and I wouldn't normally say get more organised but if Phorm does start to be rolled out vis all larger ISPs then small website developers, those with charity websites do need something. I would have said the ICO, ripa etc would do the job but sadly they seem to be lacking in vision, responsibility or understanding that or blindly led by the nose through all the BS.. MPO

I'd say that it's another one of those back-boiler ideas - not needed just yet but it may be very useful later. At the moment we have nothing to fight in this way because the system is not in use and we don't know how it will be implemented when it finally raises it's head above the parrapets.

In the meantime pointing people to the existing forums and sites like The Register should suffice to raise awareness and maybe encourage some more people to take an active interest.

Dephormation Pete has a knack of being one step ahead of most of us so I'm going to sit back and wait to see his take on this. I suspect that it will be loud and proud whatever it is.

[Florence]

Have to agree with you Peter in the mean time keep plugging on slipping in the odd reminder and a mention of the marriage between British Telecom and Webwise/phorm seemed funny having a poster unregistered posting on ISPreview from France and knows about Phorm so we are getting the message far and wide...

[TheBruce1]

I see BT have extended the £29.99 reconnect offer to September.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....html?t=878915

Now if VM would have some bottle and state whether they intend to deploy phorm`s bot or not.

Originally Posted by Florence

Have to agree with you Peter in the mean time keep plugging on slipping in the odd reminder and a mention of the marriage between British Telecom and Webwise/phorm seemed funny having a poster unregistered posting on ISPreview from France and knows about Phorm so we are getting the message far and wide...

Did you see the link I posted a few days ago?

The Tehran Times has covered the story and I even found a link to it on the Iraq Museum International website of all places.

At this rate we may even see a story or two in the British press.

Speaking of which - anybody want to predict which football team will be sponsored by Phorm next season - my money is on Web Scam United.

[phpscott]

Nope will be a local team like the Walsall Webwise or Peterborough Phorm