17 March 2008
Sir Tim Berners-Lee has warned consumers against systems which can track their activity on the Internet and has encouraged them to protect themselves.
This response has been prompted by plans from leading Internet providers to use Phorm, a company which tracks web activity to create personalised adverts.
The creator of the web is rejecting Internet tracking systems over issues surrounding privacy of users’ details. He continued on to say that he would even change his Internet provider if it introduced such a system.
I want to know if I look up a whole lot of books about some form of cancer that that's not going to get to my insurance company and I'm going to find my insurance premium is going to go up by 5% because they've figured I'm looking at those books,
Sir Tim said his data and web history belonged to him:
It's mine - you can't have it. If you want to use it for something, then you have to negotiate with me. I have to agree, I have to understand what I'm getting in return.
Kent Ertugrul, the chief executive of Phorm, responded to this rejection by saying:
We believe Phorm makes the Internet a more vibrant and interesting place. Phorm protects personal privacy and unlike the hundreds of other cookies on your PC, it comes with an on/off switch.
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