B.T. Still Stalling Phorm Trials in UK

British Telecom is not yet conducting trials of behavioral ad-targeting technology from Phorm, despite saying back in April that it would begin doing so “in the near future.”

Speaking with ClickZ News last week, Adam Liversage, BT’s chief press officer said, “We are still planning to trial the technology, but have not started doing so yet. We are currently working on some things before we can begin, but are expecting the trials to commence soon.”

The U.K. ISP had originally planned to begin the trials in March, but delayed them while it searched for an opt-out method that does not involve placing a cookie on users’ machines.

However, Liversage said that this was not the reason for the delay, and that the trials would go ahead with or without an alternative to a cookie-based opt-out.

“We are looking for a network based opt-out solution instead of one using cookies, but this is not holding up the trial,” he said. “There are other things we are working through, it’s a separate issue,” he added, but would not give details on the nature of the hold up, or say whether it was related to problems with privacy or the technology itself.

According to reports this week, the European Union’s Commissioner for Information, Society and Media, Viviane Reding, has written to the UK government seeking further information regarding its stance on Phorm’s technology. Though the contents of the letter have not been published, it is believed the Commissioner has set a deadline of the end of August for a response.

Meanwhile in the U.S., reports have claimed that behavioral targeting rival NebuAd is having troubles of its own, laying off staff and parting ways with its PR agency.

The firm has trialled its technology in the U.S. and has relationships with ISPs including Charter and CenturyTel, both of which have halted plans to roll out the technology across their networks, in response to government scrutiny.

NebuAd’s U.K. operation is not currently testing technology in the U.K., but is in ongoing conversations with ISPs, according to the firm’s Commercial Director Tony Evans. Evans said he expected B.T. to delay its Phorm trials until the government responds to Commissioner Reding’s requests.

Concerns surrounding behavioral targeting have also been raised in Canada recently. CIPPIC, the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic sent a letter last month to the Canadian federal Office of the Privacy Commissioner, requesting an investigation into the practice of behavioral targeting. CIPPIC’s Director, Philippa Lawson, said that she was unaware of any such companies currently operating with ISPs in Canada, but said it was a “pre-emptive measure.”

Phorm did not respond to requests for comment for this story.