Phorm critics, silenced, removed, erased, from BT forums discussing PHORM

Getting ready for an early election or perhaps because Her Majesty turned over two pages at once, he previousl announced Communications Data Bill allowing the creation of a state run database that stores every email, web page visit, phone call and text message has been elayed.

This would allow "communications data capabilities for the prevention and detection of crime and protection of national security to keep up with changing technology through providing for the collection and retention of such data, including data not required for the business purposes of communications service providers; and to ensure strict safeguards continue to strike the proper balance between privacy and protecting the public."

This doesn't mean that attempts to snoop on your web browsing have been shelved. Critics of PHORM the new advertisers service BT have been experimenting with, have found themselves suffer again at the hands of those freedom of speech people at BT - One of whose Directors is Patricia Hewitt the charmless gauleiter who introduced the world of private medicine to the NHS after 4 years at DTI - who is now cashing in her chips to spend more time with her money after her time as a Government Minister.

The recently ennobled shreiking Shriti Vadera , Gordon's bosom pal , the shrill mastermind behind Rail Privatisation , and collapsed tube privatisation , is now a Baroness is the Minister for Business and Competitiveness. She has met BT and there is no doubt has given them the dusky thumbs up.

Silencing the critics

BT subscribers have taken the opportunity to use BT Beta forums to criticise its relationship with Phorm ..."striving to create a new, more responsive, intuitive kind of internet experience" ... and raise concerns about the technical implications of ISPs wiretapping their customers.

As a result BT published this announcement on Tuesday ;

Our broadband support forums are designed to be a place where customers can discuss technical support issues and offer solutions. To ensure that the forums remain constructive we're tightening up our moderation policies and will be deleting threads that don't provide constructive support. For example, we have removed a number of forum discussions about BT Webwise.

If you do want to find out more about BT Webwise, we provide lots of information and the facility to contact us at www.bt.com/webwise. We hope you'll continue to enjoy being part of the support community.

When BT began their thrid trial of the PHORM system a 200 page thread on the issue on WebWisewas closed for comment in September.

This thread remained available to read and a new thread was started by BT Beta moderators

Yesterday they closed both and removed them.

Adam Liversage, BT's chief press officer, is quoted in The Register: "The reason why we've done this is that the point of the forums is technical support and the WebWise threads weren't appropriate." Ho...Ho...Ho

Closing the thread and removing them had no significance (like stifling debate ?) and disingenuously suggested ..." ...the people who are following this will have the threads backed up in multiple copies." Those who want a portal to such collections can find the door here.

So that's alright then.

When asked by The Register if more threads that BT considers inappropriate will be deleted, Liversage said: "I think they can, yeah."

Phorm's Dirty Tricks department tried to censor remarks and some unwlcome facts from their Wikipedia entry in April. (Phorm admits 'over zealous' editing of Wikipedia article)..."we accept that we were a little over zealous in our efforts to make those corrections and that we erroneously removed some relevant items in the editing process. "

See Sunday, March 02, 2008 Just when you thought it was safe to browse the Web. Also see discussion today at Think Broadband

BT want a well in PHORMed society - supported by the Government, BERR and criticism supressed by the Press / TV

It is evident from the BT AGM this week that BT see they have a major source of revenue in allowing PHORM to use their networks to make money by spying on users.

They are also intent on ignoring any criticism.

They also have on board Patricia Hewitt the charmless gauleiter who introduced the world of private medecine to the NHS after 4 years at DTI - who is now cashing in her chips to spend more time with her money after her time as a Government Minister.

Shriti Vadera , Gordon's friend, the shrieking mastermind behind Rail Privatisation , and collapsed tube privatisation , is now a Baroness (she would be unelectable even if she copied Lady Godiva - well especially if she did imitate her) who is the Minister for Business and Competitiveness. She has met BT and there is no doubt given them the dusky thumbs up. see Sunday, July 08, 2007 Where are they Now ? Shriti Vadera, shy unassuming Brown adviser gets the chop Title and sidelined new job

See the detailed report here at dephormation.com and also Spy Blog , ZdNet ,The Register

More pics plus Register on EU response to BT use of Phorm FT report BT to begin further trials of ad technology 17th July 2008 ..."Gavin Patterson, head of BT Retail, told the group’s annual general meeting that customers would again have to opt-in for the service.
Critics have alleged that BT conducted trials without customers’ consent in 2006-07.

Mr Patterson said the group had conducted technical trials in that period but had taken legal advice to rule whether it was both ethical and legal. He added that the Information Commissioner had also cleared the technology of breaching data laws." AKA they couldn't give a fuck for the user.

Computer Weekly reported BT presses ahead with behaviour-based ad-serving trials.."BT Retail chief Gavin Patterson said he was thinking of publishing the results of market research that he said showed 96% of consumers were happy with the service.

Patterson said the advertisement serving service, BT Webwise, would deliver only targeted adverts and protect customers against trips to fraudulent websites. He said only customers who opted in to the service would be affected.

Protesters said BT had conducted at least two secret trials, in 2006 and 2007, that involved up to 350,000 customers, a figure BT did not deny at the AGM.

Apart from the FT there is not a traceable news item ***about the use of this invasive, instrusive project which will identity users and their search profile to sell to advertisers, which both Phorm, Carphone Warehouse (talk talk) , Virgin, and BT will profit from.

*** Unless you know better.