Should BT.com Website Know my ISP?

When I go to the Home page of BT.com it invites me to "Switch from Orange this Summer".

How does it know I'm using Orange for my Broadband?

Is it sneaking a look at my IP addy?

Isn't this a violation of the Data Protection Act?

Or is this considered just like targeted online advertising?

Just wondering!

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

When I go to the Home page of BT.com it invites me to "Switch from Orange this Summer".

How does it know I'm using Orange for my Broadband?

Is it sneaking a look at my IP addy?

Isn't this a violation of the Data Protection Act?

Or is this considered just like targeted online advertising?

Just wondering!

Every site you visit has access to your IP address at the time. A simple lookup of which ISP that address belongs to is all that is needed.

You experience this every time you do a TBB speed test. If you don't log into the main site it asks you to confirm the detected ISP.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Is it sneaking a look at my IP addy?

If the server didn't have a look at your IP address it wouldn't know where to send the page data to...

In reply to a post by billford:

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Is it sneaking a look at my IP addy?

If the server didn't have a look at your IP address it wouldn't know where to send the page data to...

He could hide behind a proxy...

Yes, I know that the underlying comms layers know all about my IP, but seems a little bit underhand for the top application layer to go about broadcasting who I bought some product from when I am not a customer of their's.

Yes, I expect TBB speedtest to work out my ISP, but it's not for their commercial dealings (nor is your site).

Does it invite you to Switch from O2?

@billford: Very true!

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

@billford: Very true!

There's a lot of information in an http request:

http://djce.org.uk/dumprequest

I used to have a link to another site which showed it better, but I can't find it

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

Yes, I expect TBB speedtest to work out my ISP, but it's not for their commercial dealings (nor is your site).

I think the ads on here can target you based on your IP.

That's why you shouldn't (just out of interest) click a link to a website in a (dodgy) Spam email. Gives an address to attempt to hack.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Gives an address to attempt to hack.

Along with details of your OS so that the contents of the returned page can be suitably "configured"...

OK, perhaps I didn't make my concerns clear.

How they do it is obvious but whether they should be doing it is dubious.

After all, when I go to O2 or any other ISP's BB pages, they don't try to dissuade me from my current ISP, not even TT who can get up to some underhand shenanigans.

I frequently go to BT.com.

I have never noticed anything trying to make me leave (specifically) O2.

Now that could be that they know they have no chance, as evinced by the hollow laugh when a BT cold-call salesman on the phone was told who I was with, but a have different view of Orange .

Or it could be a spin-off from the new relationship between BT and Orange access to relevant databases?

Edited by RobertoS (Wed 15-Sep-10 00:42:51)

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Or it could be a spin-off from the new relationship between BT and Orange access to relevant databases?

Good thinking I've only noticed it lately, but can't remember if it started with the BT/Orange collaboration being announced.

What ad do you see at top left half of http://www.bt.com/ ?

Edited by XRaySpeX (Wed 15-Sep-10 00:56:20)

I get "Don't miss out on a great summer deal" in a sort of purple sun with some blurb about BT Total Broadband and Anytime UK calls.

Interesting! This seems in the same vein but targeted at Orange: "Switch from Orange this summer for a great deal on Broadband and Anytime Calls".

I seem to remember a similar targeting at Tiscali when it was merged with TT.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Or it could be a spin-off from the new relationship between BT and Orange access to relevant databases?

Good thinking I've only noticed it lately, but can't remember if it started with the BT/Orange collaboration being announced.

What ad do you see at top left half of http://www.bt.com/ ?

i am getting the same as you...it asks me to switch from virgin....

They are launching a Targeted TouchClarity iFrame using Omniture script.

background:
http://www.dmnews.com/omniture-acquires-touch-clarit...

Should they be doing it?
well, it is public info they are using (from their analytics), so i personally don't have a problem.
Sending Spam doesn't appear to concern them and as i've said before BT are just wayyy too aggressive in their marketing.

Most of us know roughly how this works and don't take much notice, but less technical, more impressionable people could well be influenced by this sort of thing.
i suppose BT think the 'risk' is worthwhile

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Or it could be a spin-off from the new relationship between BT and Orange access to relevant databases?

Good thinking I've only noticed it lately, but can't remember if it started with the BT/Orange collaboration being announced.

What ad do you see at top left half of http://www.bt.com/ ?

www.robertos.me.uk/incidentals/screenshots/btdotcomhomepage.jpg

They are launching a Targeted TouchClarity iFrame using Omniture script.

Interesting. (Feb 17 2007 so even before then).

Touch Clarity's clients include industry leading Web sites such as AOL, HSBC, BT (British Telecom), ....

Properly configured proxies pass the original IP on too.

Anonymous proxies is what you are thinking about.

The orange/BT thing is a BT Wholesale affair.

This advert will be BT Retail driven, different regulatory environment to some extent

Nothing new at all, and has been possible since the dawn of HTTP