Technological Solutions

The following technologies may be helpful in preventing Phorm/OIX from building up a profile of your browsing habits:

Check out a very exciting prototype encryption technology called Obfuscated TCP!

• Dephormation Firefox add-on: http://www.dephormation.org.uk/
• TrackMeNot Firefox add-on: http://www.trackmenot.org/
• SquiggleSR Firefox add-on: http://squigglesr.free.fr
• ScrabblePhorm Java and Python programs available here:

http://phormwatch.pastebin.com/f1ba5bd43
http://phormwatch.pastebin.com/f143224db

• Use Google Scraper: https://ssl.scroogle.org/ to make encrypted Google searches so Phorm cannot intercept your search terms.


• Encrypt and anonymise your web surfing with JAP: http://anon.inf.tu-dresden.de/index_en.html or by using TOR: http://www.torproject.org/


• The creators of Dephormation have created some PHP code which dynamically tests whether a user's connection is with a Phorm-participating ISP, OR whether a user has a Phorm spyware cookie on their computer. An green, yellow or red image is displayed accordingly.

Readme file is here: http://www.dephormation.org.uk/server/cookie_test/readme.txt
Zip file of the code is here: http://www.dephormation.org.uk/server/cookie_test/cookie_test.zip

Phorm-free UK ISPs

I've decided to compile a list of UK ISPs who currently do not use Phorm technology and have given me assurances that they currently have no plans of doing so. I will email various ISPs and ask them what their position in.

I also intend to ask them if they will offer incentives for people to switch from BT / Virgin / TalkTalk.

Aquiss.net: http://aquiss.net/ - Aquiss is strongly against Phorm spyware technology: "Aquiss is not working with Phorm, never have and never will. This would be considered a breach of our own trust and privacy guidelines with customers."

SurfAnytime: http://www.surfanytime.com/html/phorm.asp - declare unequivocally that they "are not, have not and will not work with Phorm or any similar organisation who blatantly invade the privacy of unwitting customers."

Eclipse: http://www.eclipse.net.uk/ - have confirmed to me via email that they neither use Phorm nor have any current plans to do so. UPDATE: A poster recently sent me an email regarding an exchange they had with Eclipse. They told him or her: "We've had some preliminary discussions with Phorm but have not committed to anything at this stage."

Plusnet: http://www.plus.net/ - UPDATE: Neil Armstrong, Products Director of PlusNet sent me an email with an official company statement: "We have not trialled Phorm and have no plans to do so."

Zen Internet: http://www.zen.co.uk/ - have stated in an email that: "...we have no plans to perform customer URL stream monitoring, nor enter into contract with Phorm."

IDNet: http://www.idnet.net - I have received an email from a former Virgin customer who says that he contacted IDNet and they assured him they do not use Phorm. Confirmation from IDNet and their future plans to follow shortly.

Demon: http://www.demon.net - Customer services has assured me that they 'currently do not have any relationship with phorm'.

Namesco: http://www.names.co.uk/ - I received an email for a namesco customer with a copy of an email from Customer Services where they state unequivocally that 'Namesco do not use Phorm and have no intentions of doing so'.

AAISP: http://aaisp.net.uk/ - Have a look at their front page. ;)

Collecting participating organisations

I've set up a list of four types of groups of participants: ISPs, PR agencies, websites or advertising companies, advertisers. If you know of any more entries which should appear in the lists, please email me at:

phormwatch at fastmail.net

There are currently no entries for advertisers because we do not have this information yet.