The ongoing debate regarding the Phorm advertising system continues to roll on with news that the EU Commission is set to instigate legal action against the UK authorities. The EU is furious that the UK government has apparently neglected the privacy rights of UK Internet users in particular with the trial of the Phorm system in 2006 and 2007.
While the UK authorities have a period of grace in which to respond to the accusations this is the first real threat to the UK regulatory authorities with regard to Internet privacy. In order to rebalance the situation it is only fair to point out that the EU Commission does not appear to have any grievance with the Phorm advertising system as it stands, more the trials carried out between 2006 and 2007 apparently without the express permission of those Internet users involved.
Yet again there appears to be significant friction between the EU Commission and the UK authorities with some believing that the EU Commission is looking to increase its own regulatory powers at the expense of individual states. Internet, and in particular the onset of broadband, has opened up a number of new concerns for regulators around the world which need to be addressed as soon as possible.