Comments on: Have You Called an Internet Advertising Phoul on Phorm?

By: Nym

Nym — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:37:33 +0000

There’s a lynch mob mentality to the anti-Phorm campaign in the UK. The anti-Phorm guys roll out a long list of laws that apparently the technology breaks (see one of the comments above), but the UK government has clearly signalled that it can be operated legally. Most importantly it will be opt-in – if you opt-in then your web browsing will be profiled and if you visit a web site that has partnered with Phorm, then you’ll see a relevant ad. If you don’t opt-in then when you visit a web site that has partnered with Phorm, you’ll see the default ad.

Chris, you did get it slightly wrong in your vid, Phorm don’t put ads onto sites that haven’t partnered with them.

But what’s important is that advertising pays for our media – like it or not. I for one, would prefer an ad targeted at me, than a generic ad. But only if my privacy is protected, and having spent a lot of time studying the Phorm technology, I believe it does protect privacy, particularly when compared to how a company like Google feels free to build huge data mines containing all my searches.

By: Nerd Taxi

Nerd Taxi — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:32:01 +0000

We are going to have to get used to the fact that as time goes by we are going to see more and more annoying advertising, as we evolve into more technology the more companies are going to us them to advertise the product.

By: Keith Young

Keith Young — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:31:31 +0000

Advertising doesnt bother me that much. The only time that it does bother me is if it is not on a subject that appeals to my interest, and as long as it is not excessive. The pop up ads do anger me and i close them with out looking at what they are for.

By: Truegryphon

Truegryphon — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:21:06 +0000

I’m a little iffy with these evasive ads. Google seems like it uses an ad program that picks up the topic on the page that you are looking at. That one doesn’t totally bug me as long as it’s not saving any information on either my end, or Google’s. But, I have been seeing Myspace getting a little too personal as they are posting ads that are aimed towards what is in my profile onto my personal home page. That to me, is getting a little too close and personal for my taste (even if Myspace is free).

By: david

david — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:17:14 +0000

the information is out there Robin and other readers, if you want to read it, basicly Phorm/Webwise is using Deep Packet Inspection/Interception Hardwre kit that sits directly on the other side of your ISP payed for Broadband connection, (as does NebuAd in the US etc).

this special DPI kit has every single bit of your PCs web comunication (if your browser can see it, so can the Phorm interception for profit kit) sent through it, every single web page even password protected HTTP pages you request/click and enter are then also fully scaned/collected into their kits ram, processed.

and under UK and EU law (and US law i assume), an unlawful derivative work is made without consent of the website content owner, or the ISP end user (should they refuse to take part in any trials, their datastream is still collected.and processed at the DPI, but dont then get sent and see the ad’s onscreen)for commercial profit.

apparently these are some of the laws broken by not getting Express/Explicit, and informed consent of both partys (end user AND the website content owners)or paying the profits of this unlawful derivative work to the owners of the content.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000

Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003

Computer Misuse Act 1990

Torts (Interference with Goods) Act 1977

Data Protection Act 1998 (IP addresses are legally defined as personally identifiable data)

this basic laymans copyright might be helpful to outlines the problems BT have placed themselves in during the prior trials without getting consent.

and dont forget may websites already have explicit terms against commercial use of the sites webpage content in their notices (including this very site infact
http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/copyright_myths

just like so many boom and bust idea’s before it, this appears to be fools gold while its wiretapping for profit without full and informed consent from both partys is missing, the web content owners will have a field day with it though in court once this practice becomes widely known

you might find this infomation link interesting too

http://digg.com/tech_news/BT_commited_113_million_allegedly_illegal_acts_in_8_days

By: roalgumo7

roalgumo7 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 22:12:57 +0000

I actually like advertisement, as long as it’s not annoying pop-ups on internet, and way long commercials on tv.
I personally have ads on my blog, I think it’s a good thing for everyone.

By: Billy Doyle

Billy Doyle — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:32:20 +0000

I haven’t had any experience dealing with Phorm, since I’m here in Michigan, but I wanted to share my thoughts about advertising.

I don’t mind it, but one of the biggest things that annoys me is when there are so many that it slows down the page. I don’t have a particularly fast computer, but it works well enough, so it bugs me when I visit a page that has 8 billion different FLASH ads going at the same time.

Another thing is a site like Free Online Games. I can understand why they need the ads, they have “free” in their name! But why do they put flash ads on the same page as a flash game? It just makes no sense, and slows everything way down. I’m going to stop now.

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:56:46 +0000

I think that Supafly has got the wrong end of the stick as many nervous brits have- Phorm’s technology, as you rightly pointed out is no worse (arguably considerably better) than Googles system and relevant advertising may well change peoples attitude towards it- but their system doesn’t replace ads or force ads onto sites that do not want them- Supafly needs to do proper research rather listening to the ‘tinfoil hat brigade’- We hope to partner with them when they launch to monetise and pay for the upkeep of our site and relevant advertising pays considerably more for our page space- and the system requires us to put ‘phorm tags’ on our page like any other advertising system. This is good for website owners anywhere and IMHO better than Google as they don’t store your info for 18 months at a time and they give a cut to the beleaguered ISPs to allow them to improve the speed of my sluggish connection!

By: The Ramblings of a College Student

The Ramblings of a College Student — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

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