What is ‘legitimate’ spyware?
The Anti-Spyware Coalition (ASC), an offshoot of the Washington-based Center for Democracy and Technology, has launched a working group to review the relationship between ISPs and behavioural advertising companies like Phorm.
‘In many instances the activities raising privacy concerns are taking place by exploiting borderline acceptable practices in order to skirt anti-spyware products,’ said the press release. ‘The new working group will convene to specifically review current guidelines and recommend changes if needed.’
The deliberations of the working group will be of acute interest to makers of anti-spyware software. Online advertising companies have resorted to lawsuits to prevent them from blocking their efforts. The ASC serves as a neutral forum to define standards and to minimise lawsuits.
Phorm, the company working with many big ISPs in Britain, argues that its products are not spyware and that users will be given a clear opportunity to opt out. Unfortunately that proviso seems not have been respected in the trial run it conducted with BT last year. Anyway, civil right campaigners dismiss Phorm’s assurances and say only a formally acquired opt in is acceptable.
The threat of being excluded from their line of business is of literally vital interest to the advertisers, perhaps less so to ISPs – although they will not want to relinquish the revenue stream targeted advertising represents. But it could be a bonanza for anti-spyware providers.
It will be intriguing to see how the ASC threads this needle. In principle, there does not seem to be any reason why individuals should not have the option of excluding all intrusions into their privacy. After all, if companies can do it, so can our own or foreign governments.
