Are you worry about your internet personal information safety

Radio Documentary Proposal

Working Title: Are You Worry about Your Internet Personal Information Safety?
Suggested outlet: BBC Radio Four

Story Background

Internet data and privacy protection is always a major concern among the ever-increasing web surfers.

Along more and more web users are building their social networking web page, such as Facebook, MySpace, they continuously put personal information and ID on the web.

Thousands of web browsers can see and search other people’s information. In such a circumstances, no wonder cyber crimes are taking place dramatically due to the technology development.

Very recently, a digital advertising technology company Phorm powered a web device – webwise, cooperates with the leading UK Internet Service Providers (ISP), such as BT, Talktalk, to provide customers identifiable and personalised ad during their web surfing.

They guarantee that the ad displayed on the web will be more suitable and matchable for individual user. It can be achieved through ISP’s tracking system, which tracks individual’s every surfing action.

The debate raised by several campaign groups, such as the Open Rights Group, Anti-Phorm, Dephorm, they put webwise into a big question.

Does webwise comply data protection act? How should customers trust Phorm and ISP’s webwise that don’t interfere our customer’s privacy rights? Is it legal for these ISP providers to sell customer’s information to ad companies? To what extend the campaign group could assist customers to seek legitimate rights?
On the other hand, facing such a embarrassed circumstance, what are Phorm and its ISP partners’ opinion about their products – webwise.

What’s the opinion within academic world? What’s the expert’s thought regarding webwise phenomenon?

From the legal advices agencies, such as agencies like Own-It, find out what are the most popular questions that customers always seek for assistance, regarding Internet privacy rights, how the agency assist customers to solve the problems?

What are common people’s ideas regarding their online privacy? Are they regular visitors of Facebook? What are their attitudes towards social networking websites?

From the Government side -- information Commissioner’s office, does webwise comply data protection law? Does the company’s webwise meet the UK requested Internet privacy standard?

Aim

To explore the UK citizens’ online privacy rights, and how the issues influence local British, what are the controversial opinions from different sectors, how to improve and protect citizens’ online privacy rights?

Interviewees Resources

Ø Phorm: London based company.
Ø Open right group: London based campaign group.
Ø Senior Lecturer. Andrew D Muarry, LSE based Internet law expertise
Ø Senior Lecturer. David Dunkley Dyimah, Westminster based web creator expertise
Ø Own-It: London based legal advice org, the delivery partner is London College of Communication, part of the University of Arts London.
Ø Voxpops: web browsers/social networking websites users.
Ø ICO: Non-London based governement body, access isn’t that realistic.

Actuality

Ø Type the keyboard, when people social networking online.
Ø Voxpops actuality.
Ø Digital music for bringing the technological atmosphere

Reference Sources

Web creator rejects net tracking
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7299875.stm

Phorm's internet-tracking service is 'illegal'
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article3576567.ece

ISPs signs up to targeted ads deal
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/feb/14/bt.virginmedia

Open right group question Phorm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7291637.stm

Open right group
http://www.openrightsgroup.org/

Phorm
http://www.phorm.com/

Andrew Murray’s research page
http://www.itlawweb.co.uk/

Own-It
http://www.own-it.org/aboutus/

ICO
http://www.ico.gov.uk/about_us.aspx