Home Office “colluded with Phorm”
“The Home Office has been accused of colluding with online ad firm Phorm on “informal guidance” to the public on whether the company’s service is legal. E-mails between the ministry and Phorm show the department asking if the firm would be “comforted” by its position. The messages show Phorm making changes to the guidance sought by the ministry.
“Lib Dem Home Affairs spokeswoman Baroness Sue Miller, who has questioned the Home Office about Phorm, said the e-mails were “jaw dropping”. A Home Office spokesperson said the suggestion of “collusion” was totally unfounded. “We have repeatedly said since these documents were released a year ago that the Government has not endorsed Phorm or its technology. “We are committed to protecting the privacy of UK consumers and will ensure any new technology of this sort is applied in an appropriate and transparent manner, in full accordance with the law and with proper regulation from the appropriate authority.”
“The e-mail exchanges were released under a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request made by a member of the public and sent to the BBC.”Unbeliveable. There is much more detail in the BBC article this quotation was sourced from.
What’s depressing is that I don’t find that hard to believe at all.
