BT Broadband to trial Phorm ad system

Jonah said on Friday, 20 June 2008

The worst sort of Spyware an ISP Rootkit.

Typical of 121Media who morphed into Phorm in order to dupe the Public.

If these "..." keep trying to trick the Account holders into thinking it's an Anti-Phishing enhancement; when it is actually Personal & Website data profiling then this in itself is a gross misrepresentation.

This is without all the other Privacy & Data Protection Laws which are being bent beyond breaking point!

Sanjeeve Gunthra said on Friday, 20 June 2008

We need to let all our friends and relatives know about this, a simple way is to point them to www.donottrustwebwise.org

Robert said on Friday, 20 June 2008

If they harrass either me, my family or friends with this scam I'll have no hesitation in applying for a court order with costs against them.

Ahab said on Friday, 20 June 2008

I pay a high monthly fee to my ISP to connect me to the internet. I do not see Phorm/Webwise's names in my contract with them.
I block adverts so I do not want an intrusive, illegal 3rd party snooping on my browsing habits with or without my permission in order to provide me with targeted ads that I will not see.

I pay an annual fee to a company to provide me with anti-virus protection. They do not add any other uninvited service to that contract. The same goes for any of the services I contract for - gas, water and electricity come to mind.

If I have my car serviced I do not expect them to come and mow my lawn.

Where do these people get off? We do not want them - period.

Phil said on Saturday, 21 June 2008

This is the worst idea ever, and almost every person I know who is aware of this issue is repulsed by the idea.

I left BT over this, and I canceled my mobile contract with Virgin. I notice that BT are trying to sweeten people up with discounts and prizes in order to get them to renew their contract so they're stuck with them for another 12 months and can't drop them because of Phorm - no doubt because they're already leaking customers like anything.

Anyone who wants to drop BT over Phorm should read this:

https://nodpi.org/2008/06/18/material-change/

Please spread the word about this insane scheme.

Kyle said on Saturday, 21 June 2008

Why does anyone bitch about this? Google does the same thing with Search, GMail and just about every other thing. It's time to get a life. Especially of those that are against this but still use Google products. You SUPPORT THE LARGEST COMPANY that DOES IT but DO NOT have a problem with it. But if an ISP does it; its all of a sudden a hack or what ever in the hell someone calls it at that moment. Don't like it move ISPs.

Stuart said on Saturday, 21 June 2008

@Kyle
It could be that we trust Google far more than Phorm. Look at Phorm's history as 121Media.

It could also be that you can avoid Google if you want to and Google only know part of what you do online. Phorm have boasted in the past that "we can see all of the Internet" - not quite true but they would be able to track far more than Google can for any individual user.

Once this is in, inside the ISPs perimeter, it will be much harder to avoid than Google and it gives the ISP's a conflict of interest that they don't currently have. Instead of being a conduit for their subscribers, they will also have a pressure to keep Phorm / advertisers sweet.

How about if they start insisting that you don't install ad-blocking plugins to your web-browser ?

You are of course right, changing to a Phorm free ISP is the best way to make clear that you don't want this but far better that it never happens IMHO.

Anti-Phorm said on Saturday, 21 June 2008

There should be an immediate call for the resignation of any government official that could have prevented this but did nothing or voted to allow it.

Kyle needs to brush up on the differences between Google and Phorm. Google can be blocked entirely or limited to what it is allowed to do on ones computer. Phorm or whatever they want to call themselves can not.

Wake up people your being sold out by your own government

steve h said on Saturday, 21 June 2008

This is one of the greatest threats to the internet as I see it. A company that under its previous name as 121Media that wrote nasty spyware and rootkits is now allowed to intercept all out HTTP data. It is a disgrace! BT should be ashamed of itself!

Felixcatuk said on Saturday, 21 June 2008

Phorm must be stopped.

Its a safety, security and privacy disaster waiting to happen. Not to mention the effect on the integrity of internet communication.

Secret trials in 2006/7 illegally intercepted the communications of hundreds of thousands of people... people in BT and Phorm should be in the prison showers praying they can hold the soap.

PC Advisor likes Phorm? What's this at the bottom of your pages... "All contents ©IDG 2008" ? Do you think Phorm, NebuAd or all the other DPI vendors will respect that? Pull the other one, its got Phorm on it.

C'mon PC Advisor get a grip. You should be advising your readers... find a Phorm free ISP now.

Leaving BT/Virgin for a quality ISP is the only way to be certain you avoid Phorm.

tk said on Sunday, 22 June 2008

join the fight guys, sgin the petition at petitions.pm.gov.uk/ispphorm/

R.A.Walker said on Monday, 23 June 2008

Goodbye BT broadband

Cris Page said on Monday, 23 June 2008

Oh dear the usual "Google does this" commentsd surface again, however what the Sheeple who spout that garbage dont seem to undestand is that Phorm see EVERYTHING you do via http, Google does not, for the hard of thinking, that means that every click, every data packet is routed (or should that be rooted?) via Phorms bottom feeding spykit.
Its YOUR data people, dont let your ISPs profit from it. there are plenty of good Phropm free ISP's.

Anti Phorm said on Monday, 23 June 2008

I run ad muncher and hopefully that will tell Phorm or Webwise what the hell i think of them - BT should be taken on through the law for this.

But then again this country has taken all our rights away what is one more?

peter said on Monday, 23 June 2008

Totally not happy with BT i will have a serious re-think on my contract. I did not sign for any of this and therefore BT is braking my contract not me.

Dick Faulkner said on Monday, 23 June 2008

If I wanted to be bombarded with advertising, I would ask for it! Is this yet another infringement on our privacy? Do we have a choice? If so, bugger off!

Eileen said on Tuesday, 24 June 2008

I think it's disgusting that this is not only allowed to happen but also that it appears to be condoned by BT! I want to be protected from this sort of trash not deliberately targeted!