UK ISP caught storing information about which websites you have visited

I noticed this news story today

Talk Talk, one of the country’s leading internet service providers, has been rapped by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for failing to disclose details of a software trial that gathered information about the websites visited by its customers.

Full story

I was quite interested that TalkTalk are taking the angle that "It's ok to collect this data as long as we don't use it in a bad way" It doesn't really seem like a valid defense to me, surely customers at least should have been informed and the companies Terms and Conditions updated giving customers a chance to go to a different ISP if they wanted to.

The article doesn't mention whether or not TalkTalk stored data linking user accounts to web pages but I would have thought that collection information in this way might also contravene the data protection act.

I don't use TalkTalk myself but as it's one of the UK's biggest TSP's I imagine that some ATS people will do.

I use TalkTalk and am pretty shocked by this! They are probably spying me writing this post!! Grrr!

It's a complete and utter invasion of privacy, no less.

If I was a customer of theirs I would be writing to complain, as they are calling this a trial I can only presume that they plan to introduce it again later, I wonder if they will tell people when they do

Originally posted by davespanners
If I was a customer of theirs I would be writing to complain, as they are calling this a trial I can only presume that they plan to introduce it again later, I wonder if they will tell people when they do

Complaining to Talktalk can be compared to herding cats, nigh on impossible

Let's say they are not known for their customer service, more for the lack of it to be honest. I'd like to think that the ICO can put a halt to it. I suppose if that practice were allowed, all the ISP's would be jumping on the bandwagon.

I'm on virgin media and I have found that the only way to get their attention is to say "I want to cancel my contract and move to another service" They will put you through to a special retentions department where an actual person will talk to you in a lovely soothing voice and offer to take some money off of your bill.
The last time my girlfriend did this our bill went from nearly £60 a month down to around £30. It helps if you have details of competitors deal in front of you so you can say "But sky do a package for......."

I am on TalkTalk and have noticed traffic issues on certain sites...

Always the ones that have alternative content. They must have a massive file on me.

If anyone monitors me they are going to have one huge file of Kitten pictures and strange posts to ATS.

Originally posted by davespanners
If anyone monitors me they are going to have one huge file of Kitten pictures and strange posts to ATS.

Terrorists love kittens, it's a well-known fact...

"Allahu akbar " = "I miss my cat"

reply to post by davespanners


What exactly is strange about my posts? And I only use one kitten picture...

Furthermore, what does it matter which ISP you are with? This thread is about Talktalk storing personal info about their customers.

Originally posted by Wide-Eyes
reply to post by davespanners

 

What exactly is strange about my posts? And I only use one kitten picture...

My post wasn't about you it was about myself and my habit of looking at kittens on the internet

reply to post by davespanners

Ok sorry, I thought you were takin the piss.

Maybe you were, I dunno, I get a bit uptight sometimes.