Privacy on the internet will be hugely compromised for most of Britain thanks to "Phorm", a spyware product that is to be installed by several major ISPs.

Phorm will:

deliver targeted advertising based on user browsing habits by using deep packet inspection. It is one of several companies developing behavioral targeting advertising systems, seeking deals with ISPs to enable them to analyse customers' websurfing habits in order to deliver targeted advertising to them. Others include NebuAd and Front Porch.

Phorm intercepts every single webpage requested by the ISP's customers, and alters the page on the way back to your browser. Phorm builds up a profile of you, and alters the page to add advertising.

Wikipedia has officially and formally sent "opt out" to the makers of phorm.

Wikimedia Foundation opting out of Phorm « Wikimedia Technical Blog

To whom it may concern --

The Wikimedia Foundation requests that our web sites including

Can your ISP look at your internet traffic??

And if an ISP cannot legally look at your traffic, how can they ever be sure or the merits of even one accusation?

(Credit to pruby for alerting me to this section of the crimes act)

Crimes Act Part 9A Crimes against personal privacy

216B

Prohibition on use of interception devices

(1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5), every one is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years who intentionally intercepts any private communication by means of an interception device.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply where the person intercepting the private communication—
(a) Is a party to that private communication; or
(b) Does so pursuant to, and in accordance with the terms of, any authority conferred on him or her by or under—
(i) Part 11A of this Act; or
(ii) [Repealed]
(iii) The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service Act 1969; or
(iiia) the Government Communications Security Bureau Act 2003; or
(iv) The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 1978; or
(v) The International Terrorism (Emergency Powers) Act 1987.

(3) Subsection (1) of this section does not apply to the interception by any member of the Police of a private communication by means of an interception device where—