Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| [Windsor] Cogeco & Phorm?
I've sent three emails over the past few weeks to Cogeco asking for their stance on what Phorm is up to, and if Cogeco has, or is mulling a business relationship with, Phorm or any other similar company.
I've gotten no response.
The "Cogeco-customer" in me thinks it's just the little guy being ignored, but the "tinfoil-hat-wearing privacy-lover" is getting worried Cogeco is being seduced by the Dark Side and selling each of our packets to Phorm, previously a spyware creator, for cash.
Anyone have any inside scoops from Cogeco?
PS- To get up to speed on what "Phorm" is, go to The Register at »www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/29···roundup/ for links to all their stories on this topic.
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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urbanriot
join:2004-10-18
Ridgeway, ON | Where did you even get the idea Cogeco is 'mulling a business relationship with Phorm'? Did you just make this up, or have you read something somewhere. |
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Krispy
Premium,VIP
join:2001-12-11
the stix
| reply to Joe_Computer
I have never heard the words Cogeco & Phorm used together anywhere outside this thread and I'm not aware of any mulling of business relationships in this arena.
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you can lead a horse to the water but you cannot make him drink...you can put a man through school but you cannot make him think --ben harper
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exseven
Premium
join:2003-05-23
Stoney Creek, ON | i think Major League Baseball might be spying on us... |
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DrDog
VIP
join:2006-07-28
Fort Erie, ON | Exseven, you should know that you cannot write Major League Baseball, without the expressed written consent from Major League Baseball |
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beatsnpieces
join:2007-12-17 |  reply to Joe_Computer
We'll get Mark McGwire down here to hit a few dingers.. that should take your mind off of it  |
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Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| reply to urbanriot
urbanriot, that's not what I said. I said I was asking IF Cogeco has or is mulling a business relationship with Phorm.
I was hoping someone could TELL me since I got no replies from Cogeco, which could just be Cogeco ignoring my emails.
You sound a little defensive for some reason.
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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urbanriot
join:2004-10-18
Ridgeway, ON
 ·Cogeco Cable
| LOL!!! -- that's the sound of me literally blowing up with laughter at your tinfoil hat suggestion.
When I originally read your post, I thought, "who the fuck is Phorm?" Then I did some googling, and some wiki'ing, and realized they're a completely irrelevant company.
You might be mistaking dismissiveness for defensiveness. |
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Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| I strongly suggest you read up more about Phorm and other behavioural marketing companies before you dismiss it entirely.
See the link in the inital posting. It points to a UK website, who first broke the news (I believe).
After more digging, it's already in the U.S.:
American ISPs already sharing data with outside ad firms
»www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/10···rgeting/
Don't forget, the U.S. is right next door to us Cogeco customers here in Canada.
You would dismiss it if your ISP was tracking every pr0n site you go to and started sending you advertising based on your activities? What if your spouse were to use the computer afterwards? It wouldn't be YOU seeing the pr0n-targeted ads.
Tinfoil-hat or not, there's a lot of debate going on about it. You can join the debate or let better people fight for you.
But make no mistake, this is not "irrelevant". To any of us.
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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OMP
@cgocable.net | Urbanroit you might find this a little more alarming , have a look at what Mr.Rogers is up too
»www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2437/206/ |
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urbanriot
join:2004-10-18
Ridgeway, ON
·Cogeco Cable
| Not really... I use Facebook, and God only knows what they do with that information. I really don't care what advertisers trend from my habits, and this Rogers thing... well, the net neutrality issue is eventually going to come to a head as people find more interesting ways to circumvent your experience.
Don't get me wrong, I'm slightly concerned about certain data mining techniques, and nefarious acts committed with my data, but I was dismissing the OP's original question which completely came out of left field and had zero basis in fact, almost random.
While I don't hold Cogeco in the positive light that I used to, I hold them above techniques such as those suggested in that Rogers article. |
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DrDog
VIP
join:2006-07-28
Fort Erie, ON
| Google does it to me everytime I go to my gmail, there is always sponsored links for things the email is about, not a big deal to me.
Net Neutrality died when banner ads first made an appearance, at that time we ceased going to webpages and went to adclick instead |
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ilnexistepas
@mediapoli.com
| reply to urbanriot
Do not kid yourself. Traffic shaping boxes are data mining machines. Cogeco has traffic shaping boxes. They use them just as Rogers and Bell do. In this oligopoly marketplace one follows the others lead very quickly.
BTW congrats Cogeco with the 25% increase in income the quarter.
»www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2444/206/
Looks like traffic shaping and caps are really helping out the bottom line. |
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exseven
Premium
join:2003-05-23
Stoney Creek, ON
edit:
April 11th, @08:59PM
| said by ilnexistepas :Do not kid yourself. Traffic shaping boxes are data mining machines. Cogeco has traffic shaping boxes. They use them just as Rogers and Bell do. In this oligopoly marketplace one follows the others lead very quickly. BTW congrats Cogeco with the 25% increase in income the quarter. » www.digitalhome.ca/content/view/2444/206/Looks like traffic shaping and caps are really helping out the bottom line. a company made money?@! OMG! |
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Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| reply to Joe_Computer
To help urbanriot feel a bit more comfortable, the following is not related to Cogeco, but is related to Phorm's activities elsewhere.
BT's 'illegal' 2007 Phorm trial profiled tens of thousands.
(Hush-hush advertising experiment redefines 'small scale')
»www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/14···rm_2007/
And as previously posted, the "whole shebang" regarding
Phorm is here:
»www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/29···roundup/
...still hoping someone can reply to the question in my original post.
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| reply to Joe_Computer
I just found a brief explanation of what Phorm is doing now, who they USED TO BE and what they used to do.
Useful for you average Joe's who don't want to wade through tech-talk:
»www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives···420.html
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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urbanriot
join:2004-10-18
Ridgeway, ON
·Cogeco Cable
| Yea, Rogers and plenty of other Canadian ISP's are doing this right now. I was contracted by a local company to replace certain popular ads for their own ads, for wireless hotspots. Some corporations remove advertising completely with their proxy servers.
This is nothing new, welcome to the internet. You might not have heard, but North America is having a bit of a row with this... a debate called 'net neutrality.' |
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Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| reply to Joe_Computer
It "is" new. Net-Neutral was how the 'net was designed in the first place. It's only been since customers actually started using the bandwidth they signed up and paid for (P2P apps are "a" reason for this) that ISPs now want to traffic-shape and slow your internet connection down.
Non-Net-Neutrality and what Phorm is doing could be similar I suppose, in that they both hurt Joe User in the end by spying on what you do.
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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Joe_Computer
join:2006-05-18
Canada
| reply to Joe_Computer
Ok, so Cogeco throttles P2P (see other thread regarding Bittorrent reset packets).
It's not a huge leap from there to Phorm. I'm a-tellin' ya...it's gettin' to be as if it was 24 years ago (do ya follow?  )
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"...every computer user deserves freedom." - RMS |
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Asawulf
Ignorance is bliss
join:2005-08-17
Trois-Rivieres, QC
edit:
April 26th, @01:29AM
| 
Sorry, couldn't resist :P |
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