US ISP backs off from NebuAd
US broadband provider Charter Communications has announced that it is cancelling plans to implement the controversial NebuAd behavioural advertising system. The $6B turnover communications provider has now suspended a pilot of the system. Charter stated "Our customers are always our first priority. As such, we are not moving forward with the pilots at this time," adding "Should Charter decide to enter into commercial arrangements with NebuAd, it should be on the basis that NebuAd will not intercept customers' data and plant false code in it."
This decision comes at a time when behavioural advertising systems are coming under close scrutiny from the perspective of personal privacy. NebuAd in the US and Phorm in the UK have both been accused of deep packet inspecting user traffic without their consent and manipulating transactions in order to track user behaviour.
(mba)