April 14, 2009 - 8:48am
On Tuesday a legal action was initiated by the European Commission against the United Kingdom. The EU executive requires British government to change its legislation to fully comply with the European privacy regulations. The action is related to how British Internet service providers used Phorm technology to send subscribers tailor-made advertisements based on websites visited, reports Reuters.
The issue came to the light when it became known that BT trialed Phorm in 2006 and 2007 without telling its customers. Immediately after the company admitted it privacy groups burst out in their "snooping" accusations with Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the World Wide Web, expressing his concern about the problem. The move found support from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom.
According to Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding Internet users in Britain complained about the UK’s violation of the EU rules on privacy and electronic communications which ban interception and surveillance without the user's consent. Meantime BT conducted one more invitation-based trial of Phorm in the final quarter of 2008 that spurred a number of complaints.
The EU executive said it was worried by the fact that in the UK interception is lawful and ‘that the UK does not have an independent national supervisory authority dealing with such interceptions’.
Britain is called on to change its national legislation to ensure there were proper sanctions to enforce EU confidentiality rules. According to a Commission spokesperson Britain has two months to respond the charges. In case the situation is not solved by a mutual agreement EU Reding will use the authority given to her to take the country to the 27-nation EU's top court, the European Court of Justice. If it rules in favor of the European Commission, the court can force Britain to change its laws.
The issue came to the light when it became known that BT trialed Phorm in 2006 and 2007 without telling its customers. Immediately after the company admitted it privacy groups burst out in their "snooping" accusations with Tim Berners-Lee, the founder of the World Wide Web, expressing his concern about the problem. The move found support from UK telecoms regulator Ofcom.
According to Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding Internet users in Britain complained about the UK’s violation of the EU rules on privacy and electronic communications which ban interception and surveillance without the user's consent. Meantime BT conducted one more invitation-based trial of Phorm in the final quarter of 2008 that spurred a number of complaints.
The EU executive said it was worried by the fact that in the UK interception is lawful and ‘that the UK does not have an independent national supervisory authority dealing with such interceptions’.
Britain is called on to change its national legislation to ensure there were proper sanctions to enforce EU confidentiality rules. According to a Commission spokesperson Britain has two months to respond the charges. In case the situation is not solved by a mutual agreement EU Reding will use the authority given to her to take the country to the 27-nation EU's top court, the European Court of Justice. If it rules in favor of the European Commission, the court can force Britain to change its laws.