By: MarkJ - 21 July, 2009 (8:37 AM) - Score: 1738 - Fixed Line Broadband, Privacy

The controversial Phorm (WebWise) system, which has raised privacy concerns because of how it works with UK ISPs to monitor what websites you visit for use in targeted advertising campaigns, has suffered another blow today after it emerged that the Nationwide Building Society had become the latest major website to opt-out of having its pages scanned by the system.

Phorm has had a truly disastrous month so far after seeing two of its key ISP supporters , BT and TalkTalk , effectively drop plans to use the technology (original news). Even Virgin Media expressed a vague but seemingly distanced stance on the matter, albeit keeping their options open.

Now a new post on the forum of pro-privacy campaign site, NoDPI, reveals that the Nationwide Building Society has joined other major websites, such as Wikipedia and Amazon, in asking Phorm not to scan its pages. This follows an enquiry to Nationwide Chief Executive, Graham Beale.


Meanwhile Phorm is busy increasing its focus on operations outside of the UK, which is likely to continue unless it can find a broadband provider in this country that would be willing to take a risk with its service. Phorm claims there are still other interested ISPs but have so far refused to name them.