Slashdot Mirror
Phorm "Edited and Approved" UK Government Advice
Barence was one of several readers to send in word that the UK Home Office checked whether its interpretation of the law suited Phorm, before issuing advice on the legality of the controversial advertising service. The Home Office and Phorm entered a dialogue about the company's services back in August 2007, at Phorm's request. In an email sent to Phorm in January 2008, a Home Office official writes: 'I should be grateful if you would review the attached document, and let me know what you think.' After Phorm made deletions and amendments to the document, the Home Office sent another email to the company stating: 'If we agree this, and this becomes our position do you think your clients and their prospective partners will be comforted.' From the BBC: "Baroness Sue Miller, Liberal Democrat spokeswoman on Home Affairs, told BBC News: 'My jaw dropped when I saw the Freedom of Information exchanges. ... Anything the Home Office now says about Phorm is completely tainted.'"
For those of you that don't know what the Home Office is, here you go.
According to TFS (no need to RTFA) Phorm is a "controversial advertising service" and a "company".
The Home Office is the office responsible for home affairs - I'm going to hazard a guess that it's the equivalent of the US Department of State, but I'm not sure because I've never seen a summary which mentioned the DoS explain what it is.
The relationship between them is complex, which is the whole point of the story. If you really care about details, RTFA.