The UK governments Cabinet Office has issued what appears to be a blanket refusal to process any further Freedom of Information Act requests concerning Phorm (WebWise). This is the controversial system that raised privacy concerns because of how it works with UK broadband ISPs to monitor what websites you visit for use in targeted advertising campaigns.

The NoDPI campaign site has been informed that, under Regulation 5 of the Freedom of Information Act, the government can put a plug on the number of repeat requests when appearing to come from the same source; for cost reasons:


We haven't heard much from Phorm since the apparent withdrawal of some support by its three main UK broadband ISP backers; BT , TalkTalk and Virgin Media . Still that hasn't stopped privacy campaigners keeping the pressure up, partly through a fear that Phorm or something similar could easily creep back in.

NoDPI describes this latest move as an "abuse of exemption clauses", noting that "for the Government to suggest that all requests sent by the public have been sent “in concert” with NoDPI campaigners is untenable."

It's noted that that Phorm caused a lot of concern and so the number of requests from individuals was perhaps to be expected. Many people felt that the government had been too friendly to Phorm and so it's understandable that they would seek to know more about their own internal communications with the firm.

NoDPI claims that the government is trying to "evade providing the potentially embarrassing information being requested" and has filed for a review of the decision.