Amazon opts out of Phorm

UK-- Online retail giant Amazon has told Phorm it does not want its pages scanned by the latter's targeted advertising system.

A statement from Amazon said simply: “We have contacted Phorm requesting that we opt-out for all of our domains.” Phorm's system tracks the pages an internet user visits in order to match them with relevant ads.

Phorm said that websites were able to opt out of the system but did not comment on individual cases.

Amazon was one of several major websites urged by privacy and civil liberties organisation the Open Rights Group to opt out of the Phorm system last month.

Yesterday, the European Commission commenced legal proceedings against the UK over the way it has interpreted EU privacy laws regarding BT's secret trialling of the technology.

Author: James Verrinder