Fwd: Phorm and Children
Ian Batten
ukcrypto at chiark.greenend.org.uk
Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:03:04 +0000
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Begin forwarded message:
> From: Ian Batten <igb@batten.eu.org>
> Date: Wed 19 Mar 08 17:02:29 GMT
> To: mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk
> Subject: Phorm and Children
>
> I write in relation to BT, Virgin and Carphone Warehouse's decision
> to intercept and sell browsing behaviour to Phorm, a former vendor
> of spyware.
>
> It's repeatedly claimed by Phorm and the ISPs that customers will
> make informed consent to this interception. However, the opt-in or
> opt-out is on a per-user, ie per login, basis.
>
> In common with many people I have children who are not of an age
> where they can meaningfully consent to contracts, and indeed are of
> an age (nine) where Gillick competence is not an issue. I am
> therefore unclear as to how my children can give informed consent to
> the interception of their communications, and how I ---- both as the
> customer in whose name the contract is signed, and as the legal
> guardian of the children ---- can prevent my children from opting-in
> without my agreement.
>
> I would therefore like to as the ICO to comment on the acceptability
> of requesting consent to interception, implicitly or explicitly,
> from children without confirming that decision with their parents.
>
> ian
>
> Ian G Batten
> [[ address and phone number redacted ]]
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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><br><div><br><html>Begin =
forwarded message:</html><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>From: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">Ian Batten <<a =
href=3D"mailto:igb@batten.eu.org">igb@batten.eu.org</a>></font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Date: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica">Wed 19 Mar 08 17:02:29 GMT</font></div><div =
style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>To: </b></font><font =
face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica"><a =
href=3D"mailto:mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk">mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk</a></font></div><d=
iv style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; "><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" color=3D"#000000" =
style=3D"font: 14.0px Helvetica; color: #000000"><b>Subject: =
</b></font><font face=3D"Helvetica" size=3D"4" style=3D"font: 14.0px =
Helvetica"><b>Phorm and Children</b></font></div><div style=3D"margin-top:=
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
min-height: 14px; "><br></div> </div><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><div>I write in relation to BT, Virgin and Carphone =
Warehouse's decision to intercept and sell browsing behaviour to Phorm, =
a former vendor of spyware.</div><div><br></div><div>It's repeatedly =
claimed by Phorm and the ISPs that customers will make informed consent =
to this interception. However, the opt-in or opt-out is on a =
per-user, ie per login, basis.</div><div><br></div><div>In common with =
many people I have children who are not of an age where they can =
meaningfully consent to contracts, and indeed are of an age (nine) where =
Gillick competence is not an issue. I am therefore unclear as to =
how my children can give informed consent to the interception of their =
communications, and how I ---- both as the customer in whose name the =
contract is signed, and as the legal guardian of the children ---- can =
prevent my children from opting-in without my =
agreement.</div><div><br></div><div>I would therefore like to as the ICO =
to comment on the acceptability of requesting consent to interception, =
implicitly or explicitly, from children without confirming that decision =
with their =
parents.</div><div><br></div><div>ian</div><div><br></div><div> <span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; =
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line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; =
text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: =
Helvetica; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; =
font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; =
orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; =
widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style=3D"word-wrap: =
break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: =
after-white-space; "><div style=3D"margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><font class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
color=3D"#7F7F7F">Ian G Batten</font></div><div style=3D"margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">[[ =
address and phone number redacted =
]]</div></div></span></div></span></div></div></blockquote></div></body></=
html>=
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