Internet usage tracking - illegal or necessary?

Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 12:00 by welshstew
Updated Apr 2nd, 2008 at 12:21 by welshstew (add diggy goodness)

So it would appear that BT internet users have had there internet habits tracked and documented without consent:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04...rm_2006_trial/

At present such tracking systems, although available, are still highly controversial, and companies that are using them are under increasing attack within the media for using such systems. There is currently an open investigation by the Information Commissioner into the legality of these systems and, at the very least, the software providers and ISP’s (who provide the information to the software provider) will require that the end user provides “informed consent” that they are being tracked (either by opt-in or opt-out) as per the advice from the Home Office.

Some articles on the subject for your information:

Tracking online habits:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7283333.stm

Is tracking user online habits legal?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7301379.stm
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/...cle3576567.ece

Creator of the internet says it breaches his consumer right to privacy:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7299875.stm

User group website set up to combat internet tracking:
http://www.badphorm.co.uk

So, what are your thoughts?

Is this necessary step in the life of the internet to help deliver a better user experience or is it simply an intrusion into your private life?

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WelshStew

tierney rides tboard - uk site : xtreme wales - extreme clothing

Comments 11

Total Comments 11

Comments

That is definitely intrusion into people's prviate lives. I don't really see the point of tracking software being used on customers of companies. People who use the internet should have their internet browsing habits kept private to themselves. Companies that use the tracking software should inform their customers before they decide to use it. They should have a poll set up for that, to see what the customer reaction would be like.

Enough of the dribble. I think its unnecessary to have internet usage tracking.

Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 13:02 by A800 A800 is offline

	would be a killer to the pron industry as well, who would trawl through all those dirty pictures & videos if they knew Big Brother was watching them..... WelshStew tierney rides tboard - uk site : xtreme wales - extreme clothing
	Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 13:34 by welshstew Updated Apr 2nd, 2008 at 13:45 by welshstew

Yeah , lol...

They already monitor every phone call, and text message you send, so how is this different?

Did you ever give consent to have your phone calls scanned?

The system just checks for known key words, and when one shows up they investigate it further.

A few years ago (this was on tonite with trevor mcdonald) a man was arrested for sending lyrics via text message to his friends as it was percieved to be a terrorist message (this was in the aftermath of 9/11).

But yeah, messages and phone calls are monitored... so i don't think we have much choice... they will monitor the internet.

As long as it only flags up on specific sites, or keywords it's not so bad, still and infringement.

But so's having DNA, Retina scans, and all the information about a person stored on an id card.

And who's to say even if society rejects it, they won't do it anyway?

Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 13:42 by Bocaj Bocaj is online now

	I think there is a huge difference between a government tracking internet usage to help protect me and a company tracking my internet habits in order to sell more useless stuff to me..... WelshStew tierney rides tboard - uk site : xtreme wales - extreme clothing
	Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 13:44 by welshstew

	That's probably how they know what type of spam to send ya!
	Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 14:09 by A800

	As Welshstew said, Bocaj, Companies (Like BT is in question) would use that tracking system to send you spam - and to sell stuff in Stew's case -. The government doing it, however, is totally a different thing. That's just to monitor unlawful behaviour.
	Posted Apr 2nd, 2008 at 14:26 by A800

	Disagree they should be allowed to monitor it. What you choose to do is your choice.
	Posted Apr 3rd, 2008 at 16:45 by Jack Franklin

	Even though it invades someones private internet use??
	Posted Apr 4th, 2008 at 12:05 by A800

People who have nothing to hide dislike the fact they feel untrusted and watched because of others... its just going to keep escelating more and more, you never know some day in the near future they might just get round to tagging everyone (there are tagging chips that are injected into the blood stream that are being developed at the moment for military purposes.

But then what gives them the right to watch you without your consent?

Posted Apr 4th, 2008 at 13:59 by Bocaj Bocaj is online now

	Probably a government that likes to get kicks intruding people's lives...
	Posted Apr 5th, 2008 at 21:26 by A800

what is the out come if you are searching for pr0n? well if they are trying to sell you more pr0n then are you really going to complain?

when it is said with out ur concent - i am sure when you take internet from some one like bt you have the following in their t's and c's:

You must not use the service or allow the service to be used:

in any way which breaks any law or the conditions of any licence or rights of others or, if you have a service from us that gives you internet access, our acceptable use policy which we may amend from time to time (you can find this at www.bt.com/acceptableuse and may be amended from time to time
to make offensive, indecent, menacing, nuisance or hoax calls or to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety;
to send, knowingly receive, upload, download, or use any material which is offensive, abusive, defamatory obscene or menacing; or
in any way which we reasonably think will, or is likely to, affect how we provide the service to you or any of our customers.

surly they have the right to check that you are not doing this?

Posted Apr 24th, 2008 at 11:51 by nuideas nuideas is offline

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