Phorm to directly target consumers?

Controversial Phorm is to launch a consumer product in two weeks.

phorm logo

Behavioural advertising firm Phorm plans to unveil a consumer product in two weeks.

Phorm uses deep packing inspection of network traffic to display targeted advertising to web surfers - a technology that's been criticised for privacy reasons. The firm has previously run a trial with BT, but has yet to be formally rolled out by any ISP in the UK.

On 3 June, Phorm has said it will unveil to journalists the "next chapter in the Phorm story," which it said was a "groundbreaking consumer proposition."

Details on the apparently consumer-focused product were sparse, but Phorm said it would fit into "the accelerating reality of a personalised internet."

Phorm's ISP-based system sits directly in networks, so it's not clear what a consumer product would entail. A spokesperson for the firm confirmed to IT PRO the world would have to wait until 3 June for more details.

Freelance journalist Nicole Kobie first started writing for ITPro in 2007, with bylines in New Scientist, Wired, PC Pro and many more.

Nicole the author of a book about the history of technology, The Long History of the Future.