[Channel 4 News] British Telecom admits spying on customers
2008.04.03
By Bridgid Nzekwu:
BT has admitted that it secretly monitored customers’ internet surfing activities in trials of new software in 2006 and 2007.
Channel 4 News at Noon first reported this story a month ago after being contacted by a concerned consumer. The data protection watchdog is investigating this possible breach of the law which could have affected thousands of BT customers. Our Money Reporter, Bridgid Nzekwu reports
Stephen Mainwaring from Weston Super Mare is one very angry BT customer. Last year, after noticing strange goings-on on his computer he contacted his internet service provider BT, who told him he had a virus. But in fact it was nothing of the kind. He’d been part of a secret BT trial to track customers surfing behaviour.
“I ran a lot of virus scans, updates and things. I even bought new PC, but as soon as I plugged it in started coming up with problem. BT kept insisting it was a virus, and it’s not. It turns out they were doing secret tests.” – Stephen Mainwaring, BT customer
The technology used was developed by a company called Phorm. Their software uses anonymous data gleaned from surfing activity and matches relevant adverts to people’s interests.
Phorm claims it’s a major benefit both to consumers and advertisers. But BT is now accused of spying and has admitted it didn’t tell its customers what it was doing.
“It was individuals who suspected that this was happening to them, who then confronted BT and BT prevaricated for a very long time. It is only now at the beginning of 2008 that BT has admitted that’s what were doing.
“Frankly that was disgraceful by BT to have done it, it would be huge diminution of our rights as individuals if this whole system is allowed to go ahead without us all being given the opportunity to opt in or out” – Don Foster, Lib Dem Culture Spokesman
Duration : 0:7:36
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December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
fckn scum …
fckn scum they shud all be shot with a ball of their own shite…BT are the worst isp..when u call them you have to speak to indians…that dont speak very good english and sound if they are sitting inside of a cardboard box(muffled)…i hate BT…unlimited broadband…my ar$e….20m speeds…my ar$e…and as far a spying goes why dont they go and put phone taps on some people in goverment or the banking industry then they might find something of use…CU$TS
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
hmm interesting guy!
hmm interesting guy!
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
If you’re with BT …
If you’re with BT under any provision, I would advise you to leave. Their business practices are an insult to the customers that pay their wages and their service is way behind competitors.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
BT also doesnt tell …
BT also doesnt tell you that 8mega bit package means 3KB max download speed on torrents at peak times.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Phuck you Phorm,and …
Phuck you Phorm,and BT shame on you.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Dump BT. Vermin.
Dump BT. Vermin.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Jaqui Smiths …
Jaqui Smiths Gestapo are watching you…
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Heh, they haven’t …
Heh, they haven’t got anything compared to the California Highway Patrol.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
this happend to me …
this happend to me and is still is i instulled a bt internet router now i cant get on the internet explorer so i use firefox now bt
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Fucking bitch
bitch
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
I wonder how much …
I wonder how much this poor women got paid to embarrass herself in such a way…
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
BT….Hello …
BT….Hello customer I am BT, F**K you Iam going to treat you how I want.
Customer…. Oh thank you BT shall I bend over now.
BT….No wait until you have paid me first you idiots.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Unfortunately for …
Unfortunately for me I worked for BT for 8 years, in my veiw there is no such thing as privacy anymore without privacy you lose a certain amount of control, which a dark sinister company like bt is quite happy to take from you. There are many other internet providers and it is only a phonecall away to change your provider. Give yourself piece of mind. Virgin/SKy 3 o2 or any internet provider, remember you are the customer you can do what you want, If you want to have privacy dont go with BT.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
She wins the …
She wins the ignorant pig of the month award in the ISPA ratings.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
That don’t …
That don’t realise he bought a new computer! No compy, what a hoe. Im happy im with Entanet.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
If these big …
If these big companies lie to us i mean smaller companies obviously do.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
I like the way the …
I like the way the man says to her “but your not answersing the question” lol
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Phorm or ‘webwise’ …
Phorm or ‘webwise’ on Virgin gathers all information which then MUST be deleted!
It can ‘NOT’ be programmed not to store personal data.
This woman has been given a large written statement & is relaying what it says in an interactive mannor. She is not answering questions because she is little more than a video recording that can rephrase the same statement on demand, she can not expand on it. A written statement would tell us more!
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
This is enough for …
This is enough for me to tell BT whereabouts to put there service.
Bye bye BT, phuck off, no phorm for me.
The sheer arrogance displayed by BT’s mouthpiece on this important matter should not go unnoticed!
Ask your future provider if they are going to be pimping your data to a company that has history in spyware before you sign any contract!
December 10th, 2009 at 4:09 am
I like the way she …
I like the way she says they sought legal advice. She didn’t mention what that advice was.
As she is confused. She thinks the number of affected customers is some how related to to the legality of an act.
If it is illegal to intercept 1 persons internet traffic it is illegal to intercept 1,000,000 peoples’ traffic.
Good effort though. Probably her first attempt at a white wash.