Cable Forum - View Single Post - Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797]

Pasanonic · 13-04-2008, 15:13

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen.

I've been following this issue and in particular, this thread, for some weeks now. I've not yet responded to anything before ingesting all of the posts and links to articles so that I can be as knowledgeable as possible before making comments.

I'd just like to say Hi all and also say that well done to the many of you providing information and in particular the sterling and voluntary work done by Alexander on this issue.

I will probably touch more on past postings in further comments but whilst Simon is here I'd like to take the opportunity to address some points with him.

Hi Simon,

Thanks for taking the time to post and answer peoples queries.

you posted recently with your PI hat on. This is where I'm confused. I understand the good work that PI does on behalf of privacy issues and applaud the work. I too am aware of the many disturbing privacy issues we have in the UK on a state level. having worked in many Ministry of Defence installations, BNFL ( including armoury installations on BNFL vessels for the MOD ) and the Bank of England and have learned a few things I'd rather have not known about over the years yet am bound by the Official Secrets act 1989 specifically under Security and intelligence and also Defence. Plus in the private sector, Non disclosure contracts.

I do wonder what 'hat' you will be wearing at the meeting. What exactly is the position of 80/20 thinking with Phorm. You say you ar to provide assessment but I fail to see how you are working as anything other than a technically able public relations outfit. Are you retained by Phorm or are you indeed working independently of that body?

It seems that Phorm have dropped the tactic of allowing the disastrous PR firms to comment further on their technology ( and in fairness, they should as the people spinning the usual and standard responses were only hurting the brand ) due to them not being able to engage in proper informed debate with a public who is a little more tech savvy than they might have expected.
If this is the case are you not now simply taking on that PR role with a better informed view but still with the objective of trying to make the technology acceptable to the public?

Some time ago I mailed Phorm to ask them, in the light of their reaffirmed statements of openness and transparency, to ask them for a complete list of their OIX partners so that we can be aware of who exactly will be operating in conjunction with OIX on their network traffic so that we might avoid them if we wished. As yet I've had no reply. Will it be possible to have this information disclosed in full at the meeting?

I'd love to trust you and am usually quite prosaic in such matters but I am at a loss to see, from a business standpoint how you can be trusted to do anything which might harm your client's product if indeed they are your paymasters.

I'm sure there is more but it would be impolite to go on.
Will there be sandwiches at the meeting?

Kindest Regards

Craig.

13-04-2008, 15:13	#3073
Pasanonic Inactive Join Date: Apr 2008 Services: VM XL TV + MUTV 20MB Phone. Posts: 115	Re: Virgin Media Phorm Webwise Adverts [Updated: See Post No. 1, 77, 102 & 797] Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I've been following this issue and in particular, this thread, for some weeks now. I've not yet responded to anything before ingesting all of the posts and links to articles so that I can be as knowledgeable as possible before making comments. I'd just like to say Hi all and also say that well done to the many of you providing information and in particular the sterling and voluntary work done by Alexander on this issue. I will probably touch more on past postings in further comments but whilst Simon is here I'd like to take the opportunity to address some points with him. Hi Simon, Thanks for taking the time to post and answer peoples queries. you posted recently with your PI hat on. This is where I'm confused. I understand the good work that PI does on behalf of privacy issues and applaud the work. I too am aware of the many disturbing privacy issues we have in the UK on a state level. having worked in many Ministry of Defence installations, BNFL ( including armoury installations on BNFL vessels for the MOD ) and the Bank of England and have learned a few things I'd rather have not known about over the years yet am bound by the Official Secrets act 1989 specifically under Security and intelligence and also Defence. Plus in the private sector, Non disclosure contracts. I do wonder what 'hat' you will be wearing at the meeting. What exactly is the position of 80/20 thinking with Phorm. You say you ar to provide assessment but I fail to see how you are working as anything other than a technically able public relations outfit. Are you retained by Phorm or are you indeed working independently of that body? It seems that Phorm have dropped the tactic of allowing the disastrous PR firms to comment further on their technology ( and in fairness, they should as the people spinning the usual and standard responses were only hurting the brand ) due to them not being able to engage in proper informed debate with a public who is a little more tech savvy than they might have expected. If this is the case are you not now simply taking on that PR role with a better informed view but still with the objective of trying to make the technology acceptable to the public? Some time ago I mailed Phorm to ask them, in the light of their reaffirmed statements of openness and transparency, to ask them for a complete list of their OIX partners so that we can be aware of who exactly will be operating in conjunction with OIX on their network traffic so that we might avoid them if we wished. As yet I've had no reply. Will it be possible to have this information disclosed in full at the meeting? I'd love to trust you and am usually quite prosaic in such matters but I am at a loss to see, from a business standpoint how you can be trusted to do anything which might harm your client's product if indeed they are your paymasters. I'm sure there is more but it would be impolite to go on. Will there be sandwiches at the meeting? Kindest Regards Craig.