Britain in the dock over internet privacy

A shocking story in the Independent today which reports that Ministers from the Home Office could find themselves hauled in front of the European Court of Justice after the European Commission accused Britain of failing to protect its citizens from secret surveillance on the internet.

The article states that:

the legal action is being brought over the use of controversial behavioural advertising services which were tested on BT's internet customers without their consent to gather commercial information about their web-shopping habits.

Under the programme, the UK-listed company Phorm has developed technology that allows internet service providers (ISPs) to track what their users are doing online.

The Commission said the UK had failed to comply with both the European e-Privacy Directive and the Data Protection Directive. The Commission also criticised the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) as it does not require that people give informed, specific consent to their communications being intercepted for purposes such as behavioural advertising

I never really thought I'd say it, but congratulations to the EU. As I have written before, there is much wrong with Brussels' approach to individual privacy; but on this matter they are entirely correct.

At Big Brother Watch we are very concerned by Government attempts to regulate the internet or track users' habits. This story confirms that we should be concerned and we will continue to watch this case with interest.

By Dylan Sharpe

Comments

[Jamie Dowling]

Hi Dylan,

The Phorm story broke in 2008 and it is entirely due to the coverage in The Register and the backlash against BT & Phorm by grassroots internet users, techies and privacy campaigners that this story has hit the mainstream media and Phorm's share price (£34 a share in Feb 2008, £1.75 a share now).

The EU's legal action has come about as a result of the NoDPI campaign and many other concerned internet users complaining to the EU because the "government", the Information Commissioner's Office, the Metropolitan Police and the CPS have collaborated with BT & Phorm by doing nothing to prevent the illegal tests BT undertook.

The EU is the only authority which has acted to enforce the law. The UK "government", law enforcement agencies and watchdogs have done nothing to prevent thousands of privacy breaches.

This is a story of lies, smear tactics, obfuscation, evasion, censorship, bullying and any tactic by BT and Phorm to avoid open, honest discussion of the Webwise "product".

I have written at length about Phorm in my blog. You can also find out more about the story, the behaviour of BT & Phorm and the Cabinet Office blanket refusal to answer any Frredom of Information requests about Phorm at https://nodpi.org

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