The problem with this is not so much the advertising, that is an accepted part of the internet these days, it is with the interception of a users data. I have been active on digitalspy.co.uk, Badphorm.co.uk and the Labour MP Bob Piper's blog about this. I have even had a debate with a user calling themselves PhormUKTechteam who said that they were part of Phorms Technical Department (more on that one later).

Phorm have blatantly misinformed us, the BBC and many others on this from the start, as have BT. For instance, Phorm told me they have no equipment in China nor links with anyone in that country. This is untrue, Phorm have admitted to the media that they do have equipment in China. Phorm advised that they had no links with anyone connected with, or previously connected with the Russian Security services. This is untrue, Phorm have admitted that their programmers are Russian and many did have previous links with the Russian Secret services. Phorm first advised that no information is stored for any length of time, being deleted immediately once the add has been served. This is untrue, Phorm's own website and their patent advised that data is stored for up to 14 days. Phorm advised originally advised that if you opt out, your data is not collected. Untrue, it is still collected which they have now admitted to, your browser will simply send a cookie asking the processing server not to process it. Do you trust them not to use it?.

This could fundamentally change the relationship between us and our ISP for the worse. How can an ISP continue to argue to the security services, the BPI, the RIAA, the MPAA and anyone else interested in tracking us, that the ISP is just a data conduit?. They cannot, because they will already be tracking us for advertising. They will come under increasing pressure to track everyone for other reasons too. This could leave ISPs open to legal action for almost anything it's users do online from a stupid comment on a blog, to of course, movie downloads that arent legal.

And now to PhormUKTechteam or whatever they are calling themselves this week. Badphorm.co.uk have discovered that they do not work for Phorm and are not part of their techteam. They work for Phorm's PR company. Yet more lies from Phorm I am afraid.