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

[kagemusha]

Originally Posted by roadrunner69

I think someone over at badphorm had the same idea but it came down to the expence....I vaguely remember a figure of 15K just for the locals on a full page.
bugger

Okay what about a leaflet campaign on houses with cable boxes? Flyers are dirt cheap.

Originally Posted by Dephormation

Has the Virgin Media Webwise statement & FAQ been updated lately?

http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/webwise-faqs.php

In particular it now says;

Has Virgin Media ever deployed the Webwise system?

No. As part of an early evaluation of the system to understand how the technology works we have run a small technical lab test on a private internal network, not connected to the internet. We have never deployed the system, either as a trial or otherwise, and would never do so without informing our customers first.

When was that test then? Hope it wasn't prior to Feb 2008, because that's when VM's Director of Customer Relations told me they first considered working with Phorm.

Personally, I'm not convinced by anything VM say now. Why has it taken them so long to produce this new FAQ, and why haven't they answered any of the questions VM customers put to them?

Certainly seems to have been updated. I don't remember it previously being worded with so many caveats. 'In the event we do rollout', 'Looking into the Webwise system'. Actually the updates are reasonably encouraging in that I THINK this is the first public official indication that they are only 'looking into' the system, rather than Phorm's spin that they are committed to rolling it out.

[labougie]

Originally Posted by mark777

An "organic" ISP.

No GM foods. No PM ISP's.

You got it! Green as the auld sod. No MSG, either.

[mark777]

Originally Posted by kagemusha

Okay what about a leaflet campaign on houses with cable boxes? Flyers are dirt cheap.

A good idea. People could also write a letter for publication in the local paper. After all, the paper, which relies on ads, won't much like 'targetted advertising'.

I've also wriiten to the local 'parish' magazine, which is delivered to about 7,000 houses each month. These sort of things are often desperate for something to pad out the adverts.

Not much chance though if VM or BT advertise there.

[Mesmer]

Originally Posted by kagemusha

Okay what about a leaflet campaign on houses with cable boxes? Flyers are dirt cheap.

Another possibility might be to be to persuade a popular well known person in the media (TV presenter, footballer or pop star for example) to make negative comments about Phorm on say a TV chat show.

[MovedGoalPosts]

Blimey 5000 posts. You lot don't half type a lot

[mark777]

It looks like Watchdog (live now) will run an item this evening about people who want to remain ex-directory, but their details still get published in the 'phone book.

Telco's not respecting an individual's right to privacy. "Sorry we made a mistake"?

Might be worth watching for a quote.

[CaptJamieHunter]

Originally Posted by Rob

Blimey 5000 posts. You lot don't half type a lot

5000 posts on 334 pages. Does this qualify as the longest / most active thread on CF?

[gethin]

Originally Posted by OF1975

Its in my signature gethin. You want the second one.

Signed and spread around a few IT literate people I have worked with over the years.

So thats all Ford IT, PCG, Lloyds IT etc I could get in contact with. Its amazing how many contacts I have after working in IT for 25+ years.

Told them to all spread the anti Phorm gosple as well

Edit OK so i cant spell

[kt88man]

In relation to http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/webwise-faqs.php

Originally Posted by JohnHorb

Certainly seems to have been updated. I don't remember it previously being worded with so many caveats. 'In the event we do rollout', 'Looking into the Webwise system'. Actually the updates are reasonably encouraging in that I THINK this is the first public official indication that they are only 'looking into' the system, rather than Phorm's spin that they are committed to rolling it out.

I found the last paragraph quite amusing...

In the meantime, we'll continue to communicate our intentions openly and transparently. If we go ahead with deployment, we will let all our customers know before rolling out the Webwise solution and will clearly explain how the system works and what it means for them.

I hadn't realised that Webwise was a 'solution' - to what I wonder, VMs bottom line perhaps...

Neither had I realised that VM had been communicating their intentions 'openly and transparently'...

[gethin]

Originally Posted by roadrunner69

I think someone over at badphorm had the same idea but it came down to the expence....I vaguely remember a figure of 15K just for the locals on a full page.
bugger

Anyone a accountant here.

Could someone with there own company offset such against tax?

just wondering

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by gethin

Anyone a accountant here.

Could someone with there own company offset such against tax?

just wondering

You would need to set up the anti-Phorm campaign as a charity, get a registered charity number and then donate.

A company advertising non relevant advertising will struggle with it as a deduction as it is not relevant to the profitablity of the company, in fact it is entirely the opposite. Reducing the profitability.

Business expenses for a company need to be necessary and wholey for the business. The difference from personal expenses is there is no need for exclusivly.

[CaptJamieHunter]

Originally Posted by kt88man

In relation to http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/webwise-faqs.php

I found the last paragraph quite amusing...

In the meantime, we'll continue to communicate our intentions openly and transparently. If we go ahead with deployment, we will let all our customers know before rolling out the Webwise solution and will clearly explain how the system works and what it means for them.

I hadn't realised that Webwise was a 'solution' - to what I wonder, VMs bottom line perhaps...

Neither had I realised that VM had been communicating their intentions 'openly and transparently'...

Phorm/Webwise is a solution seeking a) legality and b) a problem to solve.

How about starting to communicate your intentions openly and honestly? You can only continue something once you've started it.

Neil, if you're reading this then here's a suggestion - if I were you I'd sack your PR people, their use of language is poor. Engage with your customers and you'll see there is very little consistency, openness and transparency on Virgin Media's part. You can see it in this thread with different stories being told to customers about Phorm.

Do the right thing Neil - make a clear public statement that is spin free, honest and direct.

[Florence]

Think they have had a lot cancel recently perhaps starting to feel the pinch before they do it.

On tha advertising front if some printed of the flyer that was posted somewhere earlier in this thread. If people printed a few off and took them to local supermarkets asking if they could put it up for a while trying to make people aware of what VM, BT and talktalk were planning. Explain about phorm more with links they could start to check up about it.

Was jsut a thought also if you have a local computer shop I am sure they would place a few around for ppl to collect.

[popper]

dephormation gets a plug , and they say they are after more ways to block and deal with this problem....

"Do any New Scientist readers know of other ways of doing that? If you have any suggestions, contact us via this form. If we learn of any useful tricks, we???ll publish the details."



http://www.newscientist.com/blog/tec...ng-on-you.html