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

[isf]

Originally Posted by Florence

No I never had a vote on the poll can I have my vote now a no

On another note just decided after visiting webwise to find and delete its cookie gues what my webwise search brought up...

Those __utmz are google analytics cookies set by sites linked from this forum. The referer is sent by your web browser whenever you click on a link, I always disable it.

[mertle]

found couple articles on the register.

One is about US consumer watchdog the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is calling for a bigger stick with which to punish spyware makers.

Maybe this why phorm come here first and maybe they trying to get out of there claws.

Another couple show extreme dangers what phorm could easily cause.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/10...are_sanctions/

A Yahoo-owned advertising network became the unwitting ally of cyber crooks after it spewed millions of Trojan-laced banner ads on MySpace, PhotoBucket and other websites.

You wonder what would happen if this attack happened in PHORM. What sort information could be gained and how many computers could be infested.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02...areware_peril/

even another warning to what could potentially is likely to happen.

Basically Phorm is most likely end up the trojan horse for many sicko's to try and infest its dirty deeds and thats if phorm intentions are sincere themselves which I doubt.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by lucevans

Would someone please post e-mail links for who to write to at Virgin Media regarding this Phorm business? I know it sounds weak, but the VM customer zone site is such a pile, I can never find anything useful on it, particularly when it comes to contacting them (come to think of it, that's probably what they're aiming for...).
I understand that the only legally provable way of contacting them is by registered snail mail, but until I can get that letter knocked into shape, I'd like to fire off as many e-mails as I can to VM on this subject to make sure they get the message that it's not going away...

Ta.

Why not just use Rob's letter, instead of email?

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34492295-post128.html

---------- Post added at 23:00 ---------- Previous post was at 22:57 ----------

Originally Posted by diddy1

I was Just on my way home listening to Chris Evans and the news reader on there spoke to the CEO of Phorm and according to him, that we the public have voted for this in huge amounts with our internet providers with all the on line polls we have filled in?????

ROFL. All the online polls I have seen have been overwhelmingly *against* Phorm.


The only polls I can think which would ever be in favour would be rather misleading ones which do not ask the right questions (like Largerme's survey question of "Would you prefer more relevant adverts as opposed to irrelevant ones?").

[Morden]

Originally Posted by Sirius

this was his answer.

The particular server or software is less important than who controls them. The ISP will own the equipment but it may be running software from Phorm. However, the ISP has full visibility of the data that is flowing, and full control over it. As I said, the bottom line is that the ISP ensures that if you opt out, your data is never passed to Phorm.

so read yes your data goes to the Phorm kit in the Virgin POP site.

Yes Virgin will have full visibility of all my surfing habits via Phorm Deep Packet Inspection software. The question will be

Do i trust Virgin Media with that data. The answer is no due to the fact they are selling my data to a spyware and root kit company.

Could this company have a backdoor program sending the data anyway no matter what Virgin Do.

Would you trust that arrangement ????

So it looks like i will be moving to BE.

Any ISP has access to your browsing habits if they wish. In fact even business networks have this kind of access, if they keep the router logs, you dont need phorm to see what users are up to. LOL you dont need deep packet inspection, sniffers do a lot that already and I bet any network admin will have that kind of tool. even basic home routers let you log outgoing/incoming traffic and they have basic functionality and I have a packet sniffer at home to see what the kids are up to, you just need plenty of space for the logs.

I'm not condoning phorm, but Virgin dont need phorm to see what you do.

[Shin Gouki]

My contract with Virgin Media is up at the end of the month.

Originally I was just going to get rid of just the broadband but now I might just **** the whole lot off and get me an HD TV and got SKY HD.

I've been with "Telewest" since the company was born but since VM took over it's gone to crappa.

Now I'm about to push the flush!

[rogerdraig]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Why not just use Rob's letter, instead of email?

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34492295-post128.html

thanks saved me a bit of time that

[lucevans]

Originally Posted by Matt D

Why not just use Rob's letter, instead of email?

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34492295-post128.html

Thanks Matt. It looks good - does anyone know if this letter actually constitutes a DPA notice?

Rob - have you had reply from VM yet?

[Florence]

For those who wish to jump ship since VM seem hell bent on self distruction I have been givien a link to half price reconnection to BT offer closes may 2008 but have to have a BT option 1, 2 or 3 for 18 months, I hasten to add this is just telephone..

http://www.serviceview.bt.com/list/p...Impl133605.htm

44/07 BT Together Option 1, 2 or 3 - Half Price Line Connection Special Offer

This Special Offer is available to eligible residential customers between 9th November 2007 until 9th May 2008 (inclusive) who agree to take BT Together Option 1, 2 or 3 for a minimum period of 18 months.

---------- Post added at 23:51 ---------- Previous post was at 23:47 ----------

A link to watch nice colour to graph. http://www.iii.co.uk/investment/deta...MX5550.L&it=li

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Morden

<snip>I bet any network admin will have that kind of tool. even basic home routers let you log outgoing/incoming traffic and they have basic functionality and I have a packet sniffer at home to see what the kids are up to, you just need plenty of space for the logs.

I'm not condoning phorm, but Virgin dont need phorm to see what you do.

No, all Phorm is doing is datamining that data that as you note takes plenty of space into something useable and smaller.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

thanks saved me a bit of time that

Originally Posted by lucevans

Thanks Matt. It looks good - does anyone know if this letter actually constitutes a DPA notice?

Rob - have you had reply from VM yet?

I assume Rob would know if it constitutes one or not. [Rob?]

[And if anyone else knows if it does/doesn't, then chip in! Anything else needed for the letter? ]


Rob said previously (can't remember how many pages back though) that he has had a reply from VM, but is waiting on a scanner.

[Florence]

A couple of Quotes for customers of VM.

“In the world of Internet Customer Service, it's important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away.”
Doug Warner

“Never underestimate the power of the irate customer.”
Joel Ross

[dav]

I've just thought of a massive flaw in Webwise that will render a lot of its targeted ads largely irrelevent to me. (Apologies if this has already been dicussed, but this particular penny has just dropped)

Assume that I fully embrace the concept and happily start using it, letting the system profile and pigeon-hole me to its hearts content.
Periodically, I will have a burst of activity on a particular subject, for example, I'm looking for a new car. I then start getting ads for cars etc. Great, I guess it's helping.

However, at some point my interest in this subject will stop (when I get a new car). At this point the car ads start to become an annoyance, especially if my next burst of activity is on a new TV. I'm now getting ads for cars when I want ads for TV's. The ads I'm now getting from this targetted ad system are now un-targetted.

What if the system matches me up with lots of different ad channels? They will appear to me to be random and untargetted. At this stage you have to ask, what is the point of Webwise?

Can the overworked PhormPR slave comment on how the ads are kept relevant through time and cater for changing subject focus?

Thanks.

[aMIGA_dUDE]

It interesting to read Ofcom view on thing like recoding phone calls and it not giant leap to this SPYCOMS business, if you get my way of thinking.


http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archi...qs/prvfaq3.htm

[Shaun]

I'm wondering if there will be an option to switch off adverts for baby stuff in case of loss of a child as there is for junk mail?

http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/bmpsr/

[dav]

Interesting stuff from ORG (sourced via BBC article)
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/2008/...he-phorm-storm