Technology FAQ's
4. Advertising related questions
5. Publishing related questions
7. Technology and privacy related questions
1. Questions about Phorm
Who is Phorm?
Phorm is a global personalisation technology company that makes content and advertising more relevant to you. Phorm’s innovative platform preserves user privacy and delivers a more interesting online experience. Phorm’s partners include leading internet service providers (ISPs), publishers, ad networks and advertisers.
When and where was Phorm founded?
The company is incorporated in Delaware, USA and Phorm has offices in New York, London and Seoul, Korea as well as a business development presence in a number of other markets. The Company was admitted to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange in 2004.
Which ISPs have partnered with Phorm to launch the OIX, Webwise and QookSmartweb?
Virgin Media in the UK believes interest based advertising has potentially important benefits for consumers, ISPs and website owners. The company is reviewing potential opportunities with suppliers including Phorm prior to making any commitment to launch any of these technologies.
In Korea - one of the most advanced internet markets in the world - KT, which represents 44% of the Korean broadband market, is engaged in a market trial of Phorm’s technologies.
What about BT?
Phorm continues to hold a commercial agreement with BT and the ISP continues to believe that the interest-based advertising category offers major benefits for consumers and publishers alike. BT has confirmed to the company that whilst it has no immediate plans to deploy, and it is currently prioritising more pressing projects such as developing next generation broadband, it will monitor Phorm’s progress with other internet service providers. Phorm is encouraged by the fact that BT has stated that privacy was not a factor in their decision making.
What about TalkTalk/ Carphone Warehouse?
TalkTalk Telecom Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Carphone Warehouse Group PLC, terminated its agreement with Phorm on 7 July 2009.
How do I partner with Phorm?
Simply contact us for more information or to get started: moreinfo@phorm.com
2. Current top questions
Are the ISPs selling my Webwise or QookSmartweb data?
No user data from the Webwise or QookSmartweb services is sold to or shared with any third parties. No browsing data leaves the ISP network, and no personal information is stored by Phorm's technology. Furthermore, the system does not tie into any information that the ISP may hold on their subscribers.
Who are KT?
KT is Korea's leading telecoms company, providing users with a triple play offering of broadband as well as fixed and mobile telephony. It has a market share of 44%.
Are you in discussions with other Korean ISPs?
Phorm is in discussions with a large number of ISPs around the world.
Do you have an established presence in Korea already?
Yes we have set up an office and have a team operating in Korea - we have also announced the appointment of Daniel Park who is chief executive officer of phorm Korea.
Do you have a presence in any other Asian market?
Outside of the UK, US and Korea we have set up exploratory presences in a number of markets where we see the most potential for our technology.
Can't the anonymisation process be reversed?
No. The service doesn't store personally identifiable information, doesn't store IP addresses or browsing histories. The technology observes anonymous interests and draws a conclusion about the content and/or advertising category that's most relevant. All the data leading to that conclusion is deleted by the time each web page is loaded.
The service dispels the myth that data on user browsing history must be retained and stored in order to provide a more personalised internet. Plus, users choose - they can switch the service off or on at anytime.
What parties in the equation get the raw information about subscribers' activity?
The service works on the basis of a closed system which only includes the ISP and Phorm. No browsing or interest data leaves the ISP network and no personal user information is stored by Phorm's technology or shared with any party, including the ISP. Further, no browsing or interest data is passed by Phorm to advertisers or any other party.
As the system works on unidentifiable data the service can't know who you are or where you've browsed. Plus users choose - they can switch the system off or on at any time.
Does Phorm technology store customer browsing behaviour related to adult or sensitive activities?
No. Phorm’s technology does not store any information regarding adult-themed or sensitive activities. Nor does it retain data on a host of other sensitive topics such as medical, alcohol, or tobacco.
Advertisers want to show ads in pre-defined categories, e.g. "Finance" or "Health and Beauty". The way Phorm's technology works, interests are only stored when they match these predefined and pre-approved categories. No advertiser categories allowed in the system related to what may be considered sensitive or adult activities. As a result, no browsing behaviour related to these topics is stored.
Is my data still viewed when I switch off ("opt out" of) the system?
If you decide that Webwise isn’t for you for any reason, you’ll be able to switch it off at any time from the account level or at your internet connection interface. Your ISP will record your decision, usually after you’ve proved that you are the account holder. This means that if you choose to opt out, then you and any others users on the connection will have no interaction whatsoever with the Webwise system.
Even if you switch Webwise on at the account level, others using the internet connection can switch the service off at the browser level (either by blocking the Webwise.net domain or accepting the Webwise “opted out” cookie).
How are ISP subscribers' usage details collected?
Phorm’s technology is an online recommendation engine that automatically brings you personalised content and personalised advertising based on your interests. To understand how it does this – with the minimum amount of data – you need to know that the system works in two parts: anonymous interest matching; delivering interest based content and advertising.
Our technology works by distinguishing your browser from all others by assigning a random number. The interests reflected by the browsing history associated with this random number are then matched to predefined or automatically generated categories or “channels”. Advertisers can only create predefined channels that are subject to review and approval by Phorm.
Essentially the system’s instructions, these channels comprise lists of keywords and URLs as well as how often and how recently users have exhibited an interest; sensitive topics excluded of course.
The matching process works by producing a summary of the top 10 keywords that appear on the web page being visited by the browser represented by the random number. The system is configured to exclude from this summery any data that is potentially personal in nature. This summary is then compared to the predefined channels and/or used to create a content channel. Only the fact that a match has been made is recorded. The raw data - that is the top 10 keywords - used to make the match is deleted in real time - by the time the page loads. So only the channel match, the random number to distinguish your browser from all the others and a time stamp are retained.
Once a user’s interests are understood, using the process described above, our technology - using a minimal amount of anonymous data - presents content and advertising relevant to you.
3. Consumers
What is Webwise?
Webwise will be a free service offered to you by your internet service provider, which will bring you a personalised and safer internet experience.
You will receive a page asking you if you want to turn Webwise on. If you choose to use it, Webwise will automatically start working for you by understanding your interests from the pages you visit, matching them to the content of millions of websites, and providing you with personalised content and relevant advertising. And if at any time you don’t want the service, you can switch it on or off quickly and easily.
At the same time, Webwise’s automatic security capability will warn you if you are about to go to a fraudulent site, and protect you and your family from possible phishing virus or spyware attacks.
So if your ISP decides to offer you Webwise, and you decide to participate, you’ll be getting personalised content, more relevant advertising, as well as built-in security, all for free.
What is QookSmartweb?
QookSmartweb is the consumer service based on Phorm's technology that KT is trialling in Korea. It provides users with a more relevant browsing experience by anonymously matching their interests to online advertising and content. KT customers choosing to participate in the trial will benefit from enhanced user privacy and more relevant advertising, as well as a groundbreaking new consumer proposition, Webwise Discover, bringing relevant content from across the web directly to you.
How do I opt in/switch on the service?
If your internet service provider offers you Webwise, you will be presented with a page explaining what it does.
Accepting the service means Webwise will start working for you immediately, finding out what you like, offering you personalised content and advertising, and increasing your security online.
You can also switch Webwise on by visiting your Internet Service Provider’s website.
How do I opt out, or switch off the service?
If your Internet Service Provider offers you Webwise, you will be presented with a page explaining what it does.
If you decide not to use Webwise, it is very easy to switch it off whenever you want, either via the Webwise widget, or by visiting your Internet Service Provider’s website.
When Webwise is off, you will no longer receive warnings before reaching fraudulent sites. Webwise will also no longer analyse any data from the web pages that you browse to see if there are better ads or relevant content from across the web to show you.
If I opt out, is my browsing behaviour still collected?
If you decide that Webwise isn’t for you for any reason, you’ll be able to switch it off at any time from the account level, or at your internet connection interface. Your ISP will record your decision, usually after you’ve proved that you are the account holder. This means that if you choose to opt out, then you and any others users on the connection will have no interaction whatsoever with the Webwise system.
Even if you switch Webwise on at the account level, others using the internet connection can switch the service off at the browser level (either by blocking the Webwise.net domain or accepting the Webwise “opted out” cookie).
Will I have to download any software?
There is no need to download any software. This free service will begin to work as soon as you choose to sign up.
Will Webwise slow down my internet speed?
No. Webwise functions through the ISP network and therefore won’t affect your internet speed.
Can I use webwise on any browser?
Yes
What is Webwise Discover?
Webwise Discover automatically brings you relevant, personalised content from across the web.
It works by understanding your interests from the pages you visit. So if you’re interested in celebrities and sports you will receive the latest stories, videos, blogs, on your favourite celebrity and favourite team, without having to go looking for them.
How does Webwise Discover work?
Webwise Discover can be seen as a widget within a participating website, or as a webpage of your interests. The personalisation technology works by anonymously understanding your interests from the pages you visit, and matching it to the content of millions of websites.
As a widget it will show you personalised content from within the site you are looking at, or it can bring content from all over the web to you, depending on what the participating website wants it to do.
As a webpage it brings personalised content from all over the web to you automatically.
How do I receive personalised advertising?
Webwise works by anonymously understanding your interests and replaces irrelevant ads on participating websites with ones that are more interesting and useful to you. For example, if you are interested in a particular car or camera, you could be shown an advert for that, or if you like a particular band, you could be shown an advert for their latest album. Whatever your interests, seeing adverts linked to them is more useful than seeing adverts that could be completely irrelevant to you. The advertising that you see will not increase. Existing ads will simply be replaced with ones more relevant to your interests.
What is phishing?
Fraudulent sites, known as phishing sites, trick you into providing bank details, passwords, and other confidential information. This is a major problem: data from the Anti-Phishing Working Group, of which Phorm is a member, recorded a 258% increase in fraudulent sites in the second quarter of 2008 compared to the same period a year earlier.
What is malware?
Fraudulent software, known as malware, can cause harm to your computer. There was a huge increase in malware according to Symantec's Internet Security Threat Report in 2008. The security firm identified 1,656,227 new malicious code threats, up 265 per cent from the year before.
How does Webwise Secure protect me from phishing and malware threats?
Webwise offers network level security from fraudulent websites and dangerous software by warning you in real time. No need for any downloads or updating, it all works automatically.
Webwise Secure protects you from these threats by checking the address of sites you visit against key industry blacklists of known dangerous websites provided by professional anti-fraud security firms.
I already have anti-phishing software on my computer, why do I need Webwise Secure?
Without installation of additional software, Webwise Secure enhances your computer security and safety by using anti-phishing and anti-malware technology to detect fraudulent websites and viruses.
Why doesn’t the ISP prevent access to the fraudulent websites from the beginning?
Research shows that consumers prefer to have the choice as to whether they visit the fraudulent site or not after being presented with the warning page.
Is there a chance that legitimate sites can be put into the blacklist by mistake?
No, the blacklist is carefully generated by industry leading providers
4. Advertising
What is the Open Internet Exchange (OIX)?
The Open Internet Exchange (OIX) is a revolutionary technology platform that allows, for the first time, online advertising to be targeted using interest based data derived from insights gathered at the ISP network level. This data allows for the most accurate user targeting, while protecting user privacy as no personal information or browsing histories are stored. Campaigns created in the OIX are served via advertising spots on OIX-partner websites and ad networks.
What is the exchange?
Like a stock exchange, the Open Internet Exchange (OIX) connects buyers and sellers of online advertising media, with prices established in a competitive, auction-based marketplace.
How are prices set?
The Open Internet Exchange (OIX) is an auction-based marketplace. If more than one advertiser campaign can be served to a particular ad spot and user, the higher priced campaign serves. Of course, if no OIX campaign beats the publisher's price for that ad spot, the publisher's default ad will serve. This keeps prices at fair market value.
Who can participate?
Everyone engaged in the online advertising transaction. The OIX is an open platform: All sellers of online advertising media, including publishers, ad networks and behavioural targeting companies, can make their media placements available or monetise their knowledge. All media buyers, including advertisers, online ad agencies and even independent, ISP-based or publisher-based ad sales teams can set up campaigns to be matched to placements.
5. Publishing
How do publishers benefit from Webwise?
Through partnerships with internet service providers (ISPs), Phorm's groundbreaking interest-based technologies allows publishers and websites to personalise their content and advertising to each user, resulting in increased engagement, reach and monetization.
What is Webwise Discover?
Webwise Discover is a free, interest-based content widget, which allows websites to automatically offer personalised content from within their site to users. For example, a user who likes a sports team or a particular celebrity will automatically be shown the latest articles, videos, reviews and offers on that team and that celebrity, a unique experience specific to each user.
How does Webwise Discover work?
Users browse the web as normal, Webwise Discover anonymously understands their interests and then displays relevant content (via RSS feeds) through the widget on participating websites. Publishers can either incorporate the Webwise Discover widget into their pages or place it within their ad server and schedule it to serve as lower tier inventory
Publishers can decide whether they want to show users: (1) content limited to that from within their site or network of sites, or (2) their content and content from across the web (these sites can be specified or automatically selected).
What is the OIX?
The Open Internet Exchange (OIX) is Phorm's interest-based advertising product, which offers publishers and networks the ability to deliver relevant display advertising to the right user at the right time, thereby maximising the effectiveness, yields and increasing the value of their inventory.
How does the OIX work?
The OIX works by anonymously understanding a user’s interests and matching it to the relevant ad. It offers an unprecedented level of precision for advertisers and publishers, allowing them to tailor more effective ad campaigns.
Every website can therefore carry precisely targeted ads and charge the associated premiums. They are free from the restrictions of pricing ad impressions based on the size and nature of their own visitors. Technically this is possible because we have separated the processes of analysis and targeting from ad delivery. The OIX truly enables targeting based on people’s interests rather than by the pages they may visit.
6. ISP Partners
How does Phorm work with ISPs?
Phorm partners with ISPs to enable their networks with Phorm's internet personalisation technology, and offer ISP customers a personalised internet experience. The technology then analyses fully anonymous browsing data of participating ISP customers, and uses it to serve them relevant content and advertising.
With the technology enabled, ISPs can also help make the internet safer for their customers using Phorm’s always on and always up-to-date protection against online fraud and malicious software.
How do ISPs benefit from Phorm’s technology?
Partner ISPs share in the revenues generated from online advertising placed and served using Phorm’s Open Internet Exchange (OIX). Like a stock exchange, the OIX connects buyers and sellers of online advertising media, with prices established in a competitive, auction-based marketplace.
In addition to relevant advertising, Phorm’s Webwise service automatically brings users personalised content based on the websites that they browse as well as a built in protection against online phishing and malware.
How does the system use ISP data?
Phorm’s technology is an online recommendation engine that automatically brings you personalised content and personalised advertising based on your interests. To understand how it does this – with the minimum amount of data – you need to know that the system works in two parts: anonymous interest matching; delivering interest based content and advertising.
Our technology works by distinguishing one browser from all others by assigning a random number. The interests reflected by the browsing history associated with this random number are then matched to user interests to predefined or automatically generated categories or “channels”. Advertisers can only create predefined channels that are subject to review and approval by Phorm.
Essentially the system’s instructions, these channels comprise lists of keywords and URLs as well as how often and how recently users have exhibited an interest; sensitive topics excluded of course.
The matching process works by producing a summary of the top 10 keywords that appear on the web page being visited by the browser represented by the random number. The system is configured to exclude from this summary any data that is potentially personal in nature. This summary is then compared to the predefined channels and/or used to create a content channel. Only the fact that a match has been made is recorded. The raw data - that is the top 10 keywords - used to make the match is deleted in real time - by the time the page loads. So only the channel match, the random number to distinguish your browser from all the others and a time stamp are retained.
Once a user’s interests are understood using the process described above, our technology using a minimal amount of anonymous data - presents you content and advertising relevant to you.
Can my competitors use data derived from the system to sell against me to my customers?
No. The terms of the OIX prohibit any participant from using the system to target any other participant. Ads targeting your customers by other means, e.g. demographic, however will still appear as they do today.
How does the Phorm system work with the portal advertising that the ISP already receives?
An ISP’s portal site is treated just like any other publisher that participates in Phorm Open Internet Exchange (OIX). When an OIX-generated ad is of higher value than the current ad being served on the ISP portal, the OIX ad is served instead. Ultimately, the revenue generated from this and all the other ads served is shared between the ISP, the website serving the ad, and Phorm.
Can an ISP's existing ad sales team sell advertising on the OIX?
As an open exchange, ad campaigns can be sold by anyone, including an ISP's existing sales force. Higher-value campaigns are served before lower-value campaigns whenever possible.
What are the costs for an ISP?
Purchase, implementation and ongoing maintenance of the equipment are scaled depending on the size of the network that ISPs use to deliver broadband services to consumers.
Once an ISP joins, how soon can it begin receiving revenue from the OIX?
This will vary for each ISP as it depends on how quickly they are able to evaluate and then make the decision to deploy the system. It is possible to connect the ISP’s network to Phorm’s system and begin receiving revenue from ads served to subscribers within a short amount of time.
How does this affect my existing portal or search contracts?
It doesn't. By using the targeting information available through the system, Phorm simply offers a new revenue stream to ISPs without impacting any existing relationships.
How will the OIX impact an ISP's market value?
Currently, most ISPs receive only negligible income from online advertising. The Open Internet Exchange (OIX) allows the ISP to tap into the $40+ billion global online advertising market.
ISP User Experience
How will Webwise impact an ISP subscriber's online experience?
Phorm’s technology personalises the internet to participating ISP customers, whilst offering them extra protection against phishing and malware.
Webwise automatically brings users personalised content, and replaces irrelevant advertising with adverts based on their interests.
In May 2009 leading research firm Populus surveyed 2075 UK broadband users, the feedback was conclusive - 82% of consumers who expressed a preference liked Webwise with Discover.
To gauge consumer reaction face to face, our team went out onto London's famous Carnaby Street to demonstrate Webwise Discover to people, and the response was universally positive, with comments including:
• "That’s really cool"
• "It personalises the internet to you"
• "It saves a lot of time"
• "Makes everything easier"
Phorm’s innovative technology demonstrates that it is possible to serve the right information – content or advert – to the right user at the right time while using a minimum amount of data.
What kind of ad units will be delivered to my subscriber, and where will they see them?
The Open Internet Exchange (OIX) can potentially serve ads to any of the websites your subscriber normally visits in the same slots that they already use to show advertisements. This excludes pop-ups or pop-unders, which the OIX does not allow.
How does an ISP's Privacy Policy relate to the OIX?
Phorm’s system establishes a higher standard of internet privacy than currently exists in the online industry. As such, each ISP partner's privacy policy should not need to be changed as a result of adopting the technology.
The service has been built with user privacy in mind. Phorm is a founding signatory to the IAB UK’s Good Practice Principles for online behavioural advertising. The system can never identify individuals, does not store any personally identifiable information, and keeps no record of where they have been. It understands what anonymous users like in order to match the right advert to their interests. It also ignores certain sensitive information such as adult or medical topics and therefore does not collect browsing information or permit advertising related to these sensitive areas.
7. Technology and Privacy
How does Phorm protect customer privacy?
The system never knows who you are. You’ll be anonymous right from the moment you choose to take part and no personal data, no browsing histories or IP addresses will be stored.
The system has been designed to work only with public web pages so specifically ignores webmail and cannot read secure sites indicated by the closed padlock symbol. Furthermore, in understanding your interests, the technology looks at the most frequently occurring keywords on the page being visited, but not before excluding potentially personal information. Data ignored ranges from information input by an internet user and names to email addresses and numbers longer than three digits.
Sensitive topics, such as adult, medical conditions or alcohol, for example, are also ignored by the system.
Also, switching it on or off will be a clear choice and you’ll be able to change your mind at any time.
What information does Phorm store about browsing behaviour?
Against the pre-defined advertising categories, Phorm only stores the fact that a match has been made with the advertising categories, the random number and an activity score, which is a weighting of how recently and how frequently a category match was triggered. No sensitive data is stored – no personal data, browsing histories or IP addresses.
What advertising categories are off-limits?
In the UK and in Korea, the Open Internet Exchange (OIX) does not allow advertising campaigns (or, for that matter, websites) in the following categories:
- Tobacco
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Pornography
- Gambling (except the UK National Lottery)
- Medical conditions
Exclusions are based on IAB advertising standards and an in-house editorial panel. The exclusion list may be added to, or subtracted from, depending on the region of the internet service provider.
Can advertisers use Phorm technology to target individuals or competitor websites?
No. Advertisers are not allowed to create interest based rules to target a specific user, or to only target the users of an individual website.
Does Phorm ever store a customer's IP address?
No. The user’s IP address is never stored.
Does Phorm collect any information that can identify me by name, address or any other personally-identifying information?
No. Phorm does not collect personal information, and cannot use it to serve ads. The system does not attempt to identify the user in any way and does not integrate with any system (like the ISP's log-in system) that could identify the user.
How does Phorm ensure that no personal information is collected?
Phorm uses technology that has been built to avoid any information that might identify a customer personally. Phorm technology does not view any information on secure (HTTPS) or webmail pages. Prior to any analysis, it excludes: strings of numbers longer than three digits to ensure that we do not collect credit card numbers, phone numbers, National Insurance or other potentially private information such as names or email addresses.
Can a user's browsing history be identified if the government or ISP requests it?
No. The browsing history is not stored. The unique design of this technology ensures that consumer privacy is protected and that, even under compulsion, no personally-identifying data or detailed browsing data can be retroactively provided to anyone because it was not stored in the first instance.
What type of security measures do you have so that aggregated data is not stolen or lost?
Phorm has a high level of system and network security and operates a stringent security policy. Access to database hosts is restricted to systems administrators and data access is only permitted for specific purposes within the terms of the security policy.
However, the major safeguard is that all data is anonymous and cannot be associated with any individual. Only derived category-match information is stored against the random number in the database. All the raw browsing data is deliberately and continuously deleted.
Is my data being sold to or shared with Phorm and advertisers?
No. The service works on the basis of a closed system which only includes the ISP and Phorm. No personal data or browsing histories sold, shared or even stored. No data on user interests is passed to advertisers or any other party by Phorm.
Phorm's technology uses anonymised information on the URLs of some of the web pages viewed, keywords and search terms entered. As the system works on unidentifiable data the service can't know who you are or where you've browsed. Plus users choose - they can switch the system off or on at any time.
Is the system legal?
Upon entering any given market, we will always do so in conformity with applicable law.
Is the EU investigating Phorm?
No. The EU has raised concerns with the UK government over the way in which certain aspects of EU laws have been implemented in Britain. This is a matter between the EU and the UK authorities.
Some people have likened the system to spying. Is that true?
No. Spying by its nature is an undercover activity in which someone being spied on would not be aware of it happening. With our system, users will decide whether to take part or not via clear, ongoing choice.
© 2009 Phorm
All rights reserved.