All-knowing ISPs may start advertising to you based on how you surf

web_image.gifIt would be naïve to think that your Internet Service Provider (ISP) doesn’t hold an incredible amount of information about you. Unless you’re incredibly stealthy / geeky, they have access to every web site you view, every email message you send, every instant messaging conversation you hold… well I could go on, but you get the idea.

Now, a formula: ISP with a lot of personal information about you + ISP wanting to make more money = showing you targeted advertising while you use the Internet.

In reality, some ISPs have probably already been sharing bits of your data with other companies, but now a company called Phorm wants to insert relevant ads as you surf.

AT&T is getting all 1984 on yo' asses, so if you criticise them, you're out

at%26t-logo.jpgWant another reason to dislike those sharks at AT&T? As if the awful mobile reception and huge phone bills weren’t bad enough, stories have surfaced in the past few days about their controversial Terms of Service, which allow the US company to terminate a customer’s service if acts of a defamatory or damaging manner are made against their reputation.

If caught criticising them on blogs, for instance, they reserve the right to terminate your connection completely. A spokesperson for the company however denied they would stoop to censorship…