Phorm.....

[david.m]

Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] - Page 144 - Cable Forum

CaptJamieHunter Dark Lord Of The Bork

 

Join Date: Feb 2008

Posts: 65

 

 

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

OK, here is the final version. Please feel free to use as a base for letters to educate MPs, MEPs, regulatory bodies, businesspeople and anyone with influence about what Phorm really is and how they and BT have acted.

 

Dear Mr Davis,

 

I should like to bring to your attention a number of worrying recent developments in the field of internet privacy and of the failure of the Office of the Information Commissioner to investigate what appear to be two clear breaches of the Data Protection Act and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act by a major communications provider working with an advertising company.

 

You may already be aware that three major internet service providers (ISPs) have signed agreements with a company known as Phorm to sell to them the internet browsing data of their users as part of a "targeted advertising" scheme.

 

Computer news site The Register has uncovered a number of disturbing facts about Phorm including its previous involvement in spyware under a different name. Phorm prefer to spin this fact saying they were involved in adware. A cursory look at http://blogs.zdnet.com/Spyware/index.php?p=820, http://www.f-secure.com/sw-desc/peopleonpage.shtml and http://www.f-secure.com/sw-desc/apropos.shtml suggests differently, however.

 

Phorm make a number of claims about their "product" being "a gold standard in user privacy" but despite being present on The Register, CableForum and a number of weblogs they have failed to openly and honestly answer detailed technical questions and concerns put in the public domain.

 

The technology which causes greatest concern is that of Deep Packet Inspection and its use by this advertising company. This unit is installed by Phorm - the ISP has no access to it so cannot test, check or verify anything about the unit - and it inspects every packet of data which passes through it.

 

Everyone who works at home, be they home workers, members of Parliament, judges, would find their data being subjected to the kind of inspection only intended for law enforcement activities and which normally would only ever be available to a judge following due legal process but here will be available to a company with a very questionable history. Confidential Crown material worked on by

yourself or your Right Honourable colleagues, critically confidential business, personal or even security information could well be tapped under such a scheme.

 

A simple analogy is your daily post. Imagine if every piece of post was opened, read, its contents noted and then resealed before being given to you. But you don't know who the person reading your post is. You don't know where that information could reappear or how it could be used. You don't know how many confidences will be betrayed. Every piece of post. Letters from constituents, Parliamentary colleagues, business colleagues, friends, family, others raising issues with you as I am.

 

That is what Phorm is about. Financial gain from your personal activities and information.

 

You will understand now why I refer to the growing belief that Phorm is illegal under RIPA. Government advisors The Foundation for Information Policy Research has published an open letter to Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner, stating this belief. This letter is at http://www.fipr.org/080317icoletter.html

 

Soon after this open letter appeared The Guardian newspaper recently rejected Phorm, saying that their "decision was in no small part down to the conversations we had internally about how this product sits with the values of our company." As polite yet devastating a put down as I have ever seen.

 

More recently The Register obtained proof that BT not only secretly tested this "product" in June 2007 but lied to cover up this fact. Customers were given various excuses for their concerns, but no customer was told the truth. The report is at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/03/17/bt_phorm_lies/

 

This issue took an even more serious turn when The Register revealed that it had seen documentary evidence confirming that "BT secretly intercepted and profiled the web browsing of 18,000 of its broadband customers in 2006 using advertising technology provided by 121Media, the alleged spyware company that changed its name to Phorm last year. BT Retail ran the "stealth" pilot without customer consent between 23 September and 6 October 2006."

 

This in addition to the secret 2007 tests. The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 makes intercepting internet traffic without a warrant or consent an offence. It seems to me that illegally intercepting 18,000 customers' internet traffic is in breach of that legislation. As was the first secret test. I contend that BT must also be in breach of the Data Protection Act as the data was collected without customers' consent.

 

Please read the full report at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04...rm_2006_trial/

 

BT claimed that there was nothing illegal about the trials but refused to answer a number of direct questions asked by The Register about Stratis Scleparis, the BT Retail CTO who became Phorm CTO after the first successful secret trial. BT preferred to hide behind a bland statement and refused to apologise to customers or acknowledge anything illegal took place.

 

The report is at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04...orm_interview/

 

A number of people have already complained to the ICO but had little back in response.

 

Today I and others became aware that despite these facts coming to light, the ICO have said that there is definitely no official investigation by ICO with regards to Phorm. Neither is there any investigation with regards to the BT secret trials of 2006 and 2007.

 

I am led to believe the ICO are claiming that RIPA falls under the remit of the Home Office. The ICO seem unwilling to accept there should be an investigation into the activities of BT and Phorm. I should also add that the ICO were also extremely reluctant to divulge this information to a colleague and refused permission to quote them.

 

This cannot be acceptable from a public servant organisation.

 

This cannot be acceptable from the organisation created to "protect personal information" "provide information to individuals and organisations" and "take appropriate action when the law is broken."

 

If the ICO cannot or will not take responsibility for an investigation, why is this the case? Who has the legislative power to investigate this breach of 18,000 customers' privacy?

 

A major telcommunications company in the UK has betrayed the trust placed in it by its users. It and its accomplice, Phorm, should surely be brought to book for this flagrant violation of privacy legislation.

 

Is this really going to be allowed to pass by unchallenged?

 

One cannot help but wonder if the lack of action by the government and ICO is influenced in any way by the presence of former Labour minister Patricia Hewitt on the board of BT.

 

I am sure you appreciate that I and many others cannot understand why BT and Phorm are being allowed to breach internet users' privacy with complete disregard for their customers or the law.

 

I urge you to take up this issue with your colleagues in both Houses, the House Of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology and the House Of Lords Science and Technology Committee.

 

Thank you for your time. If I may be of any further assistance to you please do not hesitate to get in touch.

 

Yours sincerely

 

-----------------------------

You need to mention ICO's obligation to enforce the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations with regards the BT secret trials. Whereas ICO might be able to say that RIPA falls under the remit of Home Office they cannot sidestep Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations as I outlined in my previous post.

 

Feel free to cite the relevant parts directly from the beginning of that very long post I made.

 

Alexander Hanff

--------------------

Deep packet inspection - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[david.m]

Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] - Page 140 - Cable Forum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ravenheart

For anyone who missed it

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/c...bbram=1&asb=1l

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/new...news=1&bbcws=1

 

And just in...

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04...orm_interview/

 

popper:for anyone that preferes to use a 3rd party player such as VLC directly on your other OS heres a working direct mms URL

mms://wm-acl.bbc.co.uk/wms/news/media_acl/mps/fix/news/business/video/163000/bb/163377_16x9_bb.wmv

 

lol, you were spying on your customers......

mms://wm-acl.bbc.co.uk/wms/news/media_acl/mps/fix/news/business/video/163000/bb/163376_16x9_bb.wmv

 

from Elreg "

Bootnote

 

Friends tell us BT will get a grilling on Channel 4 News today."

so keep your eyes open

 

cant find the clips if they exist yet?

 

Concerns over data pimping deal

Last Modified: 04 Mar 2008

By: Channel 4 News

 

http://www.channel4.com/news/article...g+deal/1703547

 

update and video clip

Channel 4 - News - BT 'spies' on customers

 

"Stephen Mainwaring from Weston Super Mare is one very angry BT customer. Last year, after noticing strange goings-on on his computer he contacted his internet service provider BT, who told him ....."

 

""Frankly that was disgraceful by BT to have done it, it would be huge diminution of our rights as individuals if this whole system is allowed to go ahead without us all being given the opportunity to opt in or out" - Don Foster, Lib Dem Culture Spokesman

"

 

"

"The act of anonymising the surfing history of someone is in itself processing personal data. And someone is doing that, whether it's ISP or Phorm, so there's a good argument that that is a breach of the Data Protection Act." - Mike Conradi, Technology Lawyer

"

....

[Wheredoigonow]

The other thing to think about guys, is how many other ISPs have done this? With their record do you think 121/Phorm have stopped at BT?

[david.m]

Light Blue Touchpaper » Blog Archive » The Phorm “Webwise” System

"

Much of the information was already known, albeit perhaps not all minutiae. However, there were a number of new things that were disclosed.

 

Phorm explained the process by which an initial web request is redirected three times (using HTTP 307 responses) within their system so that they can inspect cookies to determine if the user has opted out of their system,

so that they can set a unique identifier for the user (or collect it if it already exists), and finally to add a cookie that they forge to appear to come from someone else’s website.

 

A number of very well-informed people on the UKCrypto mailing list have suggested that the last of these actions may be illegal under the Fraud Act 2006 and/or the Computer Misuse Act 1990."

 

"

Overall, I learnt nothing about the Phorm system that caused me to change my view that the system performs illegal interception as defined by s1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000."

[Conniff]

The main fault with this is that it is an 'opt out' system which is illegal under European legislation. It must be an 'opt in' system.

[david.m]

people might be wise to keep track of this too, now were was that Data Protection Act for stopping the CRA's from collecting and procesing your data ?, need to update it perhaps.

 

to reiterate surlyBonds thread first, we might be needing it real soon.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/legalities/24013-defaults-proposed-method-removal.html

 

Experian to track net users - Times Online

"

April 6, 2008

 

 

Experian to track net users

 

 

 

James Ashton

 

 

EXPERIAN, the credit checking company, is braving mounting concerns over internet privacy with plans to launch a service that will track broad-band users’ activity so they can be targeted with advertising.

 

Through Hitwise, the web-site company it acquired for £120m a year ago, Experian has held talks with internet service providers to sell its monitoring technology.

 

Observers expect it to compete in part with Phorm, an AIM-listed company that has stirred controversy after being recruited by BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media to track their 10m customers’ behaviour so they can be sent advertising messages on the websites they are looking at.

 

However, the key difference is that Hitwise, which describes itself as an “online competitive intelligence service...”

 

incase your reading this later and the threads gone quiet, you can always hope the Cable forum users are still fighting your ISP data corner OC.

Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] - Page 168 - Cable Forum

 

is it just me or have all the CAG fighters gone home, surlyBonds , i salute you

 

were did Bankfodder go ?, he was such a fighter once , and i thank you for that, and keeping this Message board going as a good reference archive at least.

[Holdred]

I don't feel comfortable with this at all. I work a lot from home on a VM connection, mainly email/web based applications but I'm going to have to consider who I actually use as an ISP from now on if I want to keep this perk.

[david.m]

after many CF re-submitting of RIPA petitions on the downing street website, and being rejected every time with such replys as “duplication” were its clearly not,and this laughable latest one “Outside the remit or powers of the Prime Minister and Government”

 

OF1979 had enough and posted at a new place http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33628733-virgin-media-phorm-webwise-adverts-updated-page-172.html#post34523181

 

heres the petition

http://www.petitiononline.com/BTRipa/petition.html

“To: UK Prime Minister

We, the hereby undersigned, petition the United Kingdom Prime Minister to ask the Home Office to launch an investigation into British Telecom and Phorm criminal breach of section 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) during secret trials in 2006 and 2007.

 

BT have recently admitted to carrying out secret trials of Phorms technology in 2006 and 2007 without their users consent or permission.

 

Many experts, including the Foundation for Information Policy Research and also the Open Rights Group, contend that these trials constituted illegal interception and as such were a criminal breach of RIPA.

 

We ask that the Prime Minister require the Home Office and police to launch an investigation into these criminal breaches which constitute a large scale intrusion of online-privacy.

 

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

”

pass the word please

[2Grumpy]

I obviously don't understand how phorm works. When I read the explanations, they say that they wait for the browser to resend the request - is this some kind of timeout or do they send a message back asking for a resend?

 

Either way, I don't see this speeding up my internet connection, especially with an old pc that's already doing too much without having to resend requests, especially where there's a lot of data involved. Imagine resending a fair sized document in google docs or uploading a photo etc because phorm is in the way?

 

As for the privacy angle - well, they would say that there is no problem. They said that the information commissioner had checked out their system, but the IC's website says they are looking. Advertisers pull out and phorm say that they haven't. Phorm is obviously a well respected company that can be believed in everything that they say. I too have absolute faith in their Russian ex spyware coders. I am also totally convinced that they if I opt out they won't look at any of my internet traffic or be delayed just because they are there.

 

Also, why do they say they would be happy to be audited - but only by one company? Or did I get that wrong as well?

 

Grumpy

[Holdred]

The main issues are:

 

1) Opting out just means you won't receive targetted adverts as built up on your profile they hold by IP address of your machine. You will receive adverts as normal, however, Phorm will still record your browsing.

 

2) What is going to happen to your speeds/connection if Phorm's hardware suffers problems or they do not have the capacity to handle it all, will your ISP have immediate fallback?

 

3) Phorm will not (only because they cannot realistically) look at HTTPS requests, secure ones that you see a padlock for in your browser. What about other sites which require details but are not SSL, ie webforums like this one?

 

I find it beggars belief that they have got the ok from the ICO because you cannot be identified. People get sued for filesharing after being identified by IP address alone, so I'm failing to see how you could remain truely anonymous under this system.

[2Grumpy]

My understanding is that all traffic goes via the phorm server, that server sends a message back to your browser to get your phorm cookie, then another to get the browser to resend the request that goes to the original website. After that, the incoming message is intercepted by phorm, if it is from a phorm-subscribing site, the phorm server finds your cookie, the ads get replaced with those based on your browsing habits before being sent on to you.

 

That's an awful lot of extra traffic and processing.

 

Presumably the extra traffic is taken from your monthly allowance? That really would hurt - having to pay extra to get targetted ads that you don't want.

 

Grumpy

[djdave]

Here's my experience with Virgin Media so far.

 

I wrote to them a few weeks ago with this letter:

 

The Data Controller

Virgin Media

PO Box 333,

Matrix Court,

Swansea.

SA7 9ZJ

 

19 March 2008

 

Dear Sir / Madam,

 

Formal notice under Section 11 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (the right to prevent processing for purposes of direct marketing)

 

Virgin Account number: xxxxxxxxx

 

Please take note that I do not give my consent for Virgin Media to share any of my data (including but not limited to browsing habits, keywords, search terms) with external advertisers, including but not limited to Phorm / Webwise.

 

This applies even if such data is considered to be Non-Personally Identifiable Information, anonymous or untraceable.

 

I am aware that the proposed Phorm service will enable me to opt-out using cookies on my PC, but take note that I do not consent for any of my data to be passed to Phorm or any external advertiser irrespective of cookies or any other technology.

 

You will be aware that the Home Office recently published a report which concluded that “targeted online advertising services should be provided with the explicit consent of ISPs' users”. My consent will not be forthcoming.

 

I now expect your assurance, in writing, that you will put measures in place to comply with this notice. Specifically I require your confirmation that I will not need to take any measures on my PC or router to prevent my data being passed to Phorm or any third-party advertiser.

 

You will be aware that s11 Data Protection Act 1998 provides that where a Data Controller has failed to act on such a Notice within a reasonable period, a court may order the Controller to take such steps as the court sees fit to comply.

 

I would consider 28 days to be a “reasonable period” for you to comply.

I appreciate your due diligence on this matter.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

The response I received (from Customer Concern, not the Data Controller) was basically "Webwise will be good for you, protecting you from phishing and those nasty irrelevant adverts. Ignore the anti-Phorm propoganda in the media, you can trust us. We know what's best.". Not in those exact words, you understand!

 

So I sent them this:

 

Pete Moore

Customer Concern

Virgin Media

Matrix Court

Llansamlet

SA7 9BB

 

 

3 April 2008

 

Dear Sir,

 

Virgin Account number: xxxxxxx

Your reference: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

I am in receipt of your letter of 26th March which raises some fresh concerns, not the least of which is your inability to distinguish between my forename and surname.

 

I find myself disappointed that you have chosen to treat my letter as a simple complaint, rather than as a statutory notice under Section 11 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (Data Protection Act) as I believe I made clear in the heading of my letter.

 

You will surely be aware that Virgin Media has a statutory duty under the Data Protection Act to implement a request for personal data not to be used for the purposes of direct marketing, and your failure thus far to act on my request leaves you open to legal and regulatory action.

 

I trust that you will now ensure that a copy of my original letter is passed to your Data Controller for his immediate attention.

 

Furthermore, I am saddened to find that Virgin Media has apparently adopted the same “we know what’s good for you” stance as Phorm themselves. I am perfectly well aware of how the system works without your patronising effort to explain it.

 

The “Webwise” system is of absolutely no value or interest to me, as my browser already incorporates an anti-phishing system- although I choose not to use it. I also block the vast majority of advertisements whether relevant or otherwise, and in any case would not click on any such adverts.

 

You claim that “a lot of what is being touted [about Phorm] is ill-informed”. While I am sure there has been some degree of speculation about the system in certain elements of the media, my opinion has been formed from reading transcripts of interviews with Kent Ertegrul, the CEO of Phorm itself.

 

For the avoidance of doubt I would ask you one simple yes-or-no question as follows:

 

If I choose not to participate in this “service”, will Virgin Media take permanent steps to ensure that none of my data, internet traffic or browsing patterns will be passed to Phorm or any other third party irrespective of any settings or cookies on my computer(s) and router?

 

I have grave concerns that should you do so without my express consent you would be in breach of both the Data Protection Act 1998 and Section 1 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

 

You should be aware that should Virgin Media not now act to address my concerns I shall report the matter to the Information Commissioner’s Office, as well as bringing it to the attention of local and national media and to my local Member of Parliament.

 

Needless to say I would also terminate my contract with Virgin Media and move my internet and telephone services to a company which has undertaken not to use this “service”.

 

I trust that you will now give due diligence to this matter, and I look forward to your response.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

Again I've received a reply apologising for any concerns I might have but assuring me that Webwise is wonderful and that when the time comes for Phorm to go live it'll be made clear - and I'll have the opportunity to opt out.

 

THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

 

As I understand it, if I opt out all that will happen is I won't see the ads - my traffic will still be routed via Webwise. Well I use IE7Pro and don't see adverts anyway! I do not want my data to be passed to Phorm, whether anonymised or not. I believe that to do so against my express wishes would be unlawful.

 

Virgin are treading a dangerous path legally, by failing to pass a valid Statutory Notice to their data controller. I'm about to pass copies of my correspondence to the Information Commissioner's Office, and I'll keep you posted.

 

[locutus]

Just trawling thrugh a talktalk forum, came across this

Talk Talk to share browsing habits - Page 12 - The TalkTalk Members Forums

 

Seems talktalk will be making it opt in rather than opt out like BT did.

 

Just read some more on that forum... if you opt out, your info will not pass through phorm at all

Edited May 13, 2008 by locutus

[david.m]

Here's my experience with Virgin Media so far.

 

I wrote to them a few weeks ago with this letter:

 

 

 

The response I received (from Customer Concern, not the Data Controller) was basically "Webwise will be good for you, protecting you from phishing and those nasty irrelevant adverts. Ignore the anti-Phorm propoganda in the media, you can trust us. We know what's best.". Not in those exact words, you understand!

 

So I sent them this:

 

 

 

Again I've received a reply apologising for any concerns I might have but assuring me that Webwise is wonderful and that when the time comes for Phorm to go live it'll be made clear - and I'll have the opportunity to opt out.

 

THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

 

As I understand it, if I opt out all that will happen is I won't see the ads - my traffic will still be routed via Webwise. Well I use IE7Pro and don't see adverts anyway! I do not want my data to be passed to Phorm, whether anonymised or not. I believe that to do so against my express wishes would be unlawful.

 

Virgin are treading a dangerous path legally, by failing to pass a valid Statutory Notice to their data controller. I'm about to pass copies of my correspondence to the Information Commissioner's Office, and I'll keep you posted.

 

dave its been a while since your 24th April 2008 post.

 

did you send that letter to the Information Commissioners Office and what reply if any did you get?...

 

i see there is still very little traffic on this ISP/Phorm thread, and thats a shame, seeing as it will be the legal aproach more than anything that may turn the tide on all this illegal interception.

 

:wavey: :grin: at bluecar1

Edited May 25, 2008 by david.m

[david.m]

go and digg this protest event to help get the word out,and if your in London go to it and take your friends if you value your rights.

 

make the effort and make a stand.

 

Digg - "No DPI" web site launches with Phorm Protest Event

"No DPI" web site launches with Phorm Protest Event

 

nodpi.org — Alexander Hanff, fierce Phorm opponent, has launched a new web site to further the campaign against the use of Deep Packet Inspection for the purpose of behavioural profiling. The site launched today with the announcement of a Protest Rally at BT's annual shareholder's meeting on July 16th. Significant press and media coverage expected."

 

Digg - ICO Rubber Stamp Corporate Law Breaking!

"

ICO Rubber Stamp Corporate Law Breaking!

 

nodpi.org — In a letter from the Information Commissioner's Office sent to one of the victims of the 2007 covert trials of Phorm by BT, it has been admitted that the trials did breach Regulation 6 of Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. however, ICO have stated they will not be taking action against BT despite this breach."

[kangaroozoo]

Why are people mentioning the DPA??

The DPA only covers personal and/or sensitive data that a company stores about you. Phorm will have no personal details and/or sensitive data so quoting from the DPA is pointless.

 

The ICO has stated that for this to be legal it would have to be an opt-in system. Phorm have said on a number of occasions that they initiated dialogue with the ICO. They fail to mention that the ICO told them the above and are keeping a close eye on this.

 

Phorm have stated that should you opt out, the cookie will expire after 2 years. Should you clear your cookies before 2 years then you will need to opt out again. Pretty pointless if you ask me. If they insist on selling this idea to the ISP's with the opt-out policy then I can see some major court cases happening.

 

There may also be some legal issues about them storing and/or altering webpages without prior consent of webmasters. They simply plan on removing the ads from the site and replacing them with their ads. Of course, the adspace will be sold to the highest bidder and profit will be split with the ISP. They say that if you opt out, no data will be collected. I'd like to know how. Their profiler connects to the ISP server. All traffic will be routed through the profiler.

 

Maybe if they were less transparent and more upfront, it might not appear to look like they're simply trying to gain the monopoly on pop-ups. I can't see them advancing too quickly with this. Their stocks dropped 85% last year and they lost over £11 million. Hopefully they'll go bankrupt before they can implement it.

[david.m]

heres an Esential guide to Phorm and how it effects you

http://www.inphormationdesk.org/Phorm_Flyer_V0.pdf

[robin9342]

I have already installed the Phorm blocker (earlier in this thread). If my ISP implements Phorm, I wonder if I will be able to leave before my contract is up?

[david.m]

the flyer is slighty revised with links now

and heres the fact sheet.

 

print a few of them off, and pass them to all your friends, tell them to do the same and help get the facts out.

 

http://www.inphormationdesk.org/Phorm_Factsheet.pdf

http://www.inphormationdesk.org/Phorm_Flyer.pdf

 

remember that the Phorm blocker's are only a fig leaf...

 

they will Not, and can Not stop this Data collection Once the DPI devices are active On the Other side Of your Broadband Wire.

 

Always Remember That Any Personal Information which is passed in a non https way (adding your email to a form, adding a product to a cart, writing a web based email) could also be passed to the Phorm system and tie back to your cookie meaning your UID (Unique IDentifier for a specific User of a computer system ) now has a name, perhaps even a real address attached.

 

It is then conceivable that if unscrupulous employees of BT/Phorm or other ISP installed DPI For Profit companies (the CRA Experian for Instance) wanted to, they could collate and extract that individual data and other sources for profit.

 

This is something that no-one has the ability to opt out of if the Phorm system is implemented, because you can only opt out of the behavioral ad system, and so not see any ads, however YOUR data stream is still passing through the Deep Packet inspection/Interception Device and being collected and processed etc.

 

Cable Forum - View Single Post - Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]

 

 

 

Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] - Page 592 - Cable Forum

Originally Posted by AlexanderHanff

 

If anyone is interested I am currently writing a new article summarising the last 4 months. The first 5 pages are available as a pdf here:

 

http://www.paladine.org.uk/phorm.pdf

 

I am about to take a quick break from writing and setup a gallery page on NoDPI for all these anti Phorm images, please let me know if I miss any.

 

Alexander Hanff.

Say NO! to Deep Packet Inspection

Edited June 17, 2008 by david.m

[Paladine]

Good to see people here discussing Phorm, I would have posted sooner but I have understandably been very busy.

 

Alexander Hanff

[david.m]

HI Alexander.

 

yes, this place was great for the old Bank charges legal points and lots of small claims charges and Data Protection Act CRA actions were talked about and actioned thanks to

BankFodder and the other great people here OC.

 

However in the mean time, while we have learned a lot in regards using the SC courts and so on , it doesnt seem like the old Guard are reading this Board much these days.

 

even though everyone taking part in that fight Obviously all have BT,VM.CPW Phorm signed ISPs, but nothing much even being mentioned here about the Interception for Profit othe rthan this one thread and i find that odd.

 

it seem almost impossible to gather the same kind of CAG BC community collective when it comes to Phorm and DPI used for unlawful profit matters.

 

and i cant seem to get BankFodder's attention the few times iv tryed Here to garner the legal minds to collect and work to every single Uk ISP users benefit as they did for the Bank charges and thats a shame.

 

thanks to Cable forum for collecting the webs most informative Anti Phorm/DPI thread,all is not lost, but i feel there are masses of well informed bank charges end users here that are so far untapped for the Phorm fight we may have to take to the courts sometime soon.

Edited June 18, 2008 by david.m

[2Grumpy]

My email runs in a browser, it does not include the @ sign in addresses, it does not use https, so phorm would see all of my emails.

 

If it's connected then it will get the information, cokies or not.

 

Won't they look at samples of traffic to see if they can 'improve' their product? That would include personal information.

 

It sounds like phorm are misrepresenting the Information Commissioner's statements just like the CRAs do - take some bits, ignore the rest.

[david.m]

just a reminder that the NoDPI BT Protest is happening this wednesday as reported.

 

please make the time to inform and ask your friends to do their part to help in any way they can, to assist the fellow end users coming to potentially your part of the london woods to make this stand with you for Everyones privacy rights,and help make this a very productive day.

 

and perhaps you might Even get to meet Baroness Miller (scheduled to speak at 1:15pm)and perhaps other members of the house of lords in person.

 

and as a prelude to that ,you can also hear Alexander talking to Steve about the Phorm/Webwise Interception for profit, as he's taking part in Steve Gibson's Security Now! podcast Tonight (Tuesday,7pm our time).

 

You can all watch the podcast on TWiT Live - Live Netcasts from TWiT with Leo Laporte and Friends as it is being recorded, and there is even a chat application embedded into the web page so you can engage the presenters as the show is being recorded.

 

Hope to see many of you in there.

 

Incidentally, Security Now! has 110 000 active listeners, so this is a good opportunity to increase your public awareness of how this wiretap on the other side of your Broadband wire potentially effects you and your familys online lives directly.

 

https://nodpi.org/2008/05/30/protest-at-the-barbican/

"Protest at the Barbican!

On July 16th 2008 outside the Barbican in London UK, a demonstration will be held to protest against the use of Deep Packet Inspection for the purpose of behavioural advertising (more specifically Phorm).

 

The protest has been timed to coincide with BT’s annual general meeting and will be held outside that AGM.

 

BT have announced an agreement with Phorm to deploy Deep Packet Inspection technology which has been reported as illegal by key privacy advocates, academics, peers in the House of Lords and Politicians in the UK and EU government.

 

BT also carried out covert trials of this technology in 2006/2007 effecting over 120 000 of their customers, without first obtaining the consent required by law.

 

It is planned that there will be several key speakers at the event and a website will be set up in the next week on www.nodpi.org with more information.

 

Confirmed Guest Speakers

Jason from UK Free Software Network will be giving a speech from the perspective of an ISP who have decided not to sign up with Phorm.

 

More Information

For more information please send an email to no2dpi at googlemail dot com or see the following links:

Phorm opponents to picket BT shareholders | The Register

The Phorm files | The Register

"Home Office guidance misleading" says FIPR

 

Author: Alexander Hanff

[Paladine]

Hi everyone,

 

Please see the following 2 articles for an update on the Phorm situation:

 

Prosecutors gather evidence on secret BT-Phorm trials • The Register

https://nodpi.org/2008/11/27/letter-writing-campaign/

 

Alexander Hanff

[locutus]

The Prime Minister's Office has responded to the petition and you can view

it here:

 

Ispphorm - epetition response | Number10.gov.uk