Phorm creates a storm
19th Mar 2008
By Chris Tomlinson
I'm not sure what it is that we all have to hide, but nothing gets us hotter under the collar than internet privacy.
Last week, the blogosphere suffered an unusually large bout of outrage when plans to implement a behavioral targeting service across the UK's largest ISPs were revealed.
Basically BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media thought it would be a good idea to record the web sites their customers visit and sell that information to advertisers.
Not surprisingly, their customer's didn't agree! Especially when they discovered that the company setting up the scheme, Phorm, has a pretty ugly past when it comes to spying on consumers.
To start with, no one's going to trust a company called Phorm. It sounds like a mutant insect alien hybrid sent to suck out our brains and not the greatest piece of branding. Considering they recently re-branded from 121Media, a company known for distributing adware, they could have done a better job.
Adware is delivered with free software packages. You get to use the software and the adware company gets to monitor your surfing habits. Most people are oblivious to the fact they have entered into this contract, having just pressed the accept button on the terms and conditions page when installing the software.
Where adware stops and spyware begins is philosophical point, but clearly none of the ISP customers concerned have even accidentally agreed to be monitored. (Watch out for this clause in new broadband contracts).
Phorm is run by Kent Ertegrul, another name that doesn't exactly instill you with confidence. He is described as a serial entrepreneur, not just a common or garden one! For those who don't know the difference, the serial type is usually dodgier.
His past ventures include selling joyrides on Russian fighter jets. His most notable foray online was as the founder of PeopleOnPage, an ad network that operated earlier in the decade and which was blacklisted as spyware by the likes of Symantec and F-Secure.
Now Phorm is insisting (and BT and co seem to believe them) that no personal information will be kept. Theoretically, behavioral targeting is not a threat to privacy. No personal information is recorded, just a list of sites you recently visited. So if you hang out on the Top Gear website a lot you'll end up getting lots of car banner ads when visiting other sites.
You remain anonymous at all times.
Phorm have convinced both the ISPs and the government that its service complies with UK privacy laws and had an independent audit of its technology done by Ernst & Young (now that's what I call a trustworthy name).
So what is all the fuss about?
Perhaps it's the fact that nobody wants to be a target for anything and that our three most reputable ISPs are prepared pimp us out like we are their property. We may have nothing to hide but just being watched makes us furious.
Chris Tomlinson is Head of Digital at WAA.
Jonathan Aston commented 2 months ago
Approx 4,000 people have signed up to a Downing Street petition - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ispphorm/