Amazon blocks Phorm
Amazon has blocked the online advertising system Phorm from scanning its web pages to produce targeted ads.
Phorm has conducted trials of its technology with BT, which is marketed as Webwise, and now plans to roll out the service to BT users after analysing the findings.
However, Amazon UK said: “We have contacted Webwise requesting that we opt-out for all our domains.”
The system, which builds profiles of users by scanning keywords on websites they visit and then assigns relevant ads, has been up against opposition because it scans almost all sites a user visits without direct consent.
Yesterday, the European Commission started legal proceedings against the UK over the behavioural ad company to address “several problems with the UK’s implementation of EU ePrivacy and personal data protection rules, under which EU countries must ensure… the confidentiality of communications by prohibiting interception and surveillance without the user’s consent” (see European Commission begins legal action on Phorm).
Viviane Reding, EU telecoms commissioner, said: “Technologies like internet behavioural advertising can be useful for businesses and consumers but they must be used in a way that complies with EU rules. These rules are there to protect the privacy of citizens and must be rigorously enforced by all member states.
“We have been following the Phorm case for some time and have concluded that there are problems in the way the UK has implemented parts of EU rules on the confidentiality of communications. I call on the UK authorities to change their national laws and ensure that national authorities are duly empowered and have proper sanctions at their disposal to enforce EU legislation on the confidentiality of communications.
“This should allow the UK to respond more vigorously to new challenges to ePrivacy and personal data protection such as those that have arisen in the Phorm case. It should also help reassure UK consumers about their privacy and data protection while surfing the internet.”
Phorm also came under fire last April when BT admitted that it had tested Phorm in 2006 and 2007 without informing customers involved in the trial – BT then carried out a new invitation-based trial of the technology in October-December 2008.
In a statement, Phorm said: “There is a process in place to allow publishers to contact Phorm and opt out of the system, but we do not comment on individual cases.”
Last month, the Open Rights Group wrote to Microsoft, Google/Youtube, Facebook, AOL/Bebo, Yahoo, Amazon and Ebay urging them to opt-out of Phorm.
However, Amazon is the first company to give any response.
Jim Killock, executive director of the Open Rights Group, said: “We expect more sites to block Webwise in the near future and also ISPs to drop plans to snoop on web users.”
According to Killock, other sites including LiveJournal, mySociety and Netmums have said confirmed that they will also be blocking Phorm’s technology.