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Virgin Media remains coy on its plans for Phorm

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Posted 14th July 2009 at 11:39am by Ewan Taylor-Gibson

Customer service and Satisfaction

Virgin Media has revealed that it has no immediate plans to deploy Phorm's controversial broadband advertising platform on its network.

The internet marketing company had planned to roll out WebWise in the UK with the support of some of the biggest internet service providers (ISPs) - BT, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.

Working with ISPs, the service would monitor customer browsing habits so that they could be targeted with much more specific advertising - something that has provoked a strong reaction from privacy groups.

However, news emerged last week that two of its biggest backers in the UK - BT and TalkTalk - would no longer be moving ahead with plans to implement WebWise.

Now it appears that Virgin Media is also decidedly non-committal in its support for the advertising platform, although it did not rule out future developments.

Spokesperson Vani Bassi said in a statement: "We recognise some consumers have significant concerns about the potential implications of interest-based advertising for their privacy.

"Virgin Media is committed to ensuring that any future deployment complies not only with the relevant legal requirements but - as an absolute minimum - the best practice guidelines contained in the Internet Advertising Bureau's recently published code of practice."

More news on: Customer service and satisfaction, Future developments, Advertising & brands

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6 comments

  • Calico Jack Sparrow, 14th July 2009.

    Virgin Media have been 'non-committal' for the best part of the last fifteen months. They've been sitting on the fence for so long they must have splinters!

    One thing is assured, if they climb down onto the Phorm side of the fence then I will be looking for a new ISP.

    It should be noted that BT has not severed their links with Phorm nor ruled out implementing Webwise in the future, it is still "open season" on both BT and VM until further notice.

    Reply

  • bluecar1, 14th July 2009.

    "Virgin Media is committed to ensuring that any future deployment complies not only with the relevant legal requirements but - as an absolute minimum - the best practice guidelines contained in the Internet Advertising Bureau's recently published code of practice."???

    VM have been sat on the fence so long they have splinters in their rears!!!

    Also the IAB best practice guidelines do not comply with UK and EU law, they want OPT-OUT, not OPT-IN as required by PECR, they want self regulation (poachers acting as game keepers, will they turn blind eyes to some issues unless caught?) and there are no penalties if VM sign up to the guidelines then fail to implement them or break them.

    what we need is the current legislation to be fully enforced and the regulators to grow a pair and do their job.

    Reply

  • David S Thomas, 14th July 2009.

    I would use Talk Talk in preference to VM. The BT name is tarnished by their association with Phorm and VM does themselves no favours by not ruling out Webwise. I know I will never use BT in my life unless they say sorry for the trouble they caused me when they tested Phorm on customers without asking.

    Reply

  • DisgustedVMCustomer, 15th July 2009.

    If Virgin Media think for one second more that sitting on the fence is going to protect them from a huge amount of bad PR they should think again. The worm is about to turn if they do not very soon state Phorm will NOT be deployed.

    Reply

  • PingusPeriratus, 15th July 2009.

    The IAB best principles reference has been removed from a high-profile ISP's customer pages. Also the principles do not mention OPT IN, so are now at odds with the statement by the EU Commissioner that all such services MUST be OPT IN.

    Reply

  • Pete, 24th July 2009.

    "We recognise some consumers have significant concerns"

    I think Virgin, or should I say NTL:Telewest Business, will find that the businesses who pay them generously to provide a private/confidential telecommunication service also have concerns about their communications with their consumers too.

    Fortunately that's recognised by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (which requires consent from both parties to a communication for interception).

    Also, the Copyright Act makes it an offence to trade in copyright infringing articles. (Phorm make literal copies of web pages).

    Businesses are facing industrial espionage by Virgin/NTL:Telewest.

    Reply

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