In the development of what the company described as “some really exciting new security and parental control services,” UK Internet service provider TalkTalk (www.talktalk.co.uk) was caught monitoring customers’ online activities without their knowledge.
According to a Tuesday report from eWeek Europe, TalkTalk customers discovered that IP addresses from TalkTalk subsidiary Opal Telecom were following all the websites they visited — in what was identified as a stalking tactic.
TalkTalk has admitted to the monitoring allegation, explaining that it was a necessary procedure in the testing of an upcoming anti-malware system, being provided by Chinese vendor Huawei.
“We are developing some really exciting new security and parental control services, which will be based deep within our network infrastructure, to provide our customers with greater protection for all the devices they connect to their broadband line with,” reads TalkTalk’s statement on the subject. “We’ve had considerable feedback from customers that PC-based software only deals with part of the wider security problem facing today’s Internet users, so we’ve developed these new services to help improve our customers online experience with us.”
Further, a company representative told tech news site The Register that personal activity was not gathered, but the purpose was rather to make basic lists of all Web pages passing through TalkTalk’s network.
It is not unusual for ISPs to monitor customers’ Internet use — especially for the purpose of prioritizing Web traffic in what is known as “traffic shaping” or “packet shaping.” Many customers, however, are either unaware of this practice or find it startling. Last month, for instance, the European Commission launched a consultation regarding net neutrality — essentially the concept that neither ISPs nor governments should be allowed to influence what content Internet users view or what applications. The European Union, according to sources, has made clear its desire for an open and neutral Internet.
According to The Register, political leaders have called on ISPs to take a more active role in protecting users from online threats. In this sense, TalkTalk’s effort to develop such a solution is commendable in an industry that has been known to avoid regulation. Still, its lack of transparency has some critics worried about what other processes are secretly running.
“We’ve a sneaking suspicion that customers will now also have sneaking suspicions,” writes TechEye.net’s Dean Wilson. “What other things could it be doing behind customers’ backs?”
Source : web-hosting-news.org
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