Now Parliament promises to poke into Phorm

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 23 Apr 2009 at 08:50

The All Party Parliamentary Communications Group (apComms) has launched an investigation into internet traffic, including behavioural advertising services such as Phorm.

The cross-party group will consider, among other things, whether the Government should intervene over behavioural advertising services, or whether it's a purely a matter for individual ISPs and their customers.

The investigation follows a recent debate at the House of Commons, in which Parliamentarians heard Sir Tim Berners-Lee describe services such as Phorm as like putting a TV camera in your room.

The Commons debate was attended by several apComms officers, including chairman Derek Wyatt MP and secretary Lord Erroll.

The probe caps an uncomfortable week for Phorm, during which it's seen the EC instigate legal proceedings concerning its secret trials with BT, Amazon and Wikipedia opt out of the service, and reports that BT and Virgin Media are getting cold feet over the scheme.

Phorm insists it's unperterbed by the Parliamentary probe. "We look forward to working with the Group, some of whose members we have met in the last year," the company claims in a statement.

"In those meetings and going forward we will be happy to explain the enormous potential of Phorm's internet advertising service with its industry-leading privacy standards."

The apComms group will also consider issues such as net neutrality and a global response to child sex abuse images in its wide-ranging inquiry.