Phorm and Children

[Ian Batten]

On 18 Mar 08, at 1508, Roland Perry wrote:

> In article <9C678BA7-F4E7-435F-B7BB-3854EE879C3D@batten.eu.org>, Ian  
> Batten <igb@batten.eu.org> writes
>> nor can they claim  that it is reasonable to treat ISP customers as  
>> though they are all  over 13, because it isn't and they aren't.
>
> In particular, it may be inconvenient for me to point out that ISPs  
> (including at least BT and VM) supply services to schools which are  
> *intended* to be used by children!

Moreover, there is no obligation for a school or care provider to  
declare their status: they can and so buy BT Retail xDSL over the  
counter as a private individual or a micro-sector business.  Not  
merely are BT not offering a mechanism for lines known to be  
predominantly used by children to be opted out, they have no mechanism  
to locate which lines are, in fact, predominantly used by children.

>
> I would hope that they would have a way to opt out such connections  
> entirely, and it's not as if the resulting advertising would be  
> particularly well targeted to individuals - as a result of so many  
> kids sharing each PC.

And the ``ah, user accounts'' argument is nonsense: no primary school  
I've had dealings with has used user accounts, and it's not universal  
in secondary schools.  Daycare provision, home schooling, private  
schools, child minding, tutors and other such are an unknown quantity.
>

> And there are also rules about advertising to children (fatty foods,  
> expensive toys etc) which are not currently on Phorm's list of  
> voluntary exceptions.

See, for example, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/27/asa.advertising1

ian