scumalert.gif The UK’s Guardian newspaper has disclosed that it has signed up to the Phorm scheme. This seems like mind boggling hypocrisy from the Guardian, which always adopts such a high moral tone in its writings. By joining this scheme the Guardian is complicit in a scheme to violate the privacy of over ten million internet users. Phorm is buying the complete web browsing records of all the customers of three Internet Service Providers [ BT, Virgin Media and Talk Talk (Carphone Warehouse) and using this information to provide targeted web ads.

I have always had a regard for the Guardian, though others have seen it and its ‘holier than thou’ stance as a bit of a joke. I guess the sceptics were right. When it comes down to it greed wins out at the Guardian and to hell with ethical standards.