So, what's all the fuss about?
Simply put, three of the UK's largest ISPs (Virgin Media, BT and TalkTalk) have decided to sell your private browsing history to an advertising broker. Yes, the entire list of every web page you visit gets sent to Phorm (the broker) in real time, as you click, so they can send you 'targeted advertising'. Naturally the ISP's are not too keen on telling their users this, they'd much rather feed us all platitudes about how it'll help combat phishing and how the targeted adverts will be so much better than the random ones we see today. In fact, they didn't even announce it to the UK press, we had to find out about it from the New York Times!
Over the past few days a PR company retained by Phorm and indeed Phorm themselves have repeatedly attempted to address the numerous questions raised by many concerned individuals.
In our opinion however, they have failed to adequately address some of the most important issues raised repeatedly and ultimately unsuccessfully by our users.
We therefore call on Phorm and all participating ISPs to state publicly and on the record that they will ensure all deployments of the Phorm system meet the following specific requirements :
* The Phorm system must be fully opt-in. Opt-out systems are, in our opinion, not acceptable for such a potentially invasive piece of technology.
* Such opt-in must be explicit and voluntary (requiring specific user action) for all subscribers, not simply a change in the ISPs terms and conditions.
* The opt-in process must be managed at a network level, not reliant on cookies or any other type of client side mechanism.
* Where a user has chosen not to participate in the Phorm system, that user’s traffic must not be passed through or be accessible by any equipment owned, operated or supplied in whole or in part by Phorm (including software operating on ISP owned equipment).
Many of our users have indicated they would far prefer ISPs did not install the Phorm system at all, citing privacy, security and reliability concerns over this unproven technology; a sentiment with which we agree.
We appreciate that some ISPs wish to offer their users the choice, and in our opinion those deploying the Phorm system can only offer genuine choice to their users and guarantee to protect the privacy of those subscribers who choose not to participate in the Phorm system by accepting the requirements above.
We commend Talk Talk (carphone warehouse) for agreeing to make the Phorm system opt-in only and thank them for listening to their users.
