Is the BBC joining the internet spies?

[Dave2002]

I received an email inviting me to subscribe to a BBC newsletter. There is this quite intriguing bit of text:

We can now offer a personalised email newsletter service, suggesting more of the type of programmes that you're interested in. We'll tailor the emails based on your online browsing activities and interactions with the BBC website, apps and the emails themselves.

If you'd like to receive this personalised service, simply register for BBC newsletters below, giving us permission to use your online browsing data for this purpose.

I'm assuming for the time being that it's benign, but the implication is that the BBC (or its agents) are somehow spying on my browsing/viewing acitivities in order to build up a profile, and then feed me with what they feel is appropriate (for me - or for them?).

[french frank]

I had an email yesterday ("We hate to say goodbye" ) reminding me that the R3 newsletter is being dropped and would I like to subscribe to the new all-BBC newsletter and find out about ALL the BBC programmes I might like, but I just junked it without reading anything like that as I don't want to find out about anything except Radio 3

I wonder if the deleted email is recoverable via Time Machine …

I received an email inviting me to subscribe to a BBC newsletter. There is this quite intriguing bit of text:

I'm assuming for the time being that it's benign, but the implication is that the BBC (or its agents) are somehow spying on my browsing/viewing acitivities in order to build up a profile, and then feed me with what they feel is appropriate (for me - or for them?).

[french frank]

I wonder if the deleted email is recoverable via Time Machine …

Yes, it was. But I didn't click on the Subscribe link so didn't see the bit about personalised emails. It's a bit like Google, then?

[Dave2002]

Yes, it was. But I didn't click on the Subscribe link so didn't the bit about personalised emails. It's a bit like Google, then?

I think they may be more benign than Google, though I'd rather doubt that they'd use their own technology, so probably bought into some third party software - Amazon, Google or similar.

I'll wait to see how intrusive it appears to be.

[eighthobstruction]

OT....yes

[Dave2002]

OT....yes

Off Topic - or Own Technology? Does the BBC still do that?

[ahinton]

Whether or not the answer to the OP question is "yes", this must be an important political issue, since not only is BBC is a public service broadcaster governed to a degree by UK Parliament but also UK citizens' rights in respect of personal data, privacy and so on are subject to laws such as DPA and FOIA passed by UK Parliament.

[oddoneout]

Whether or not the answer to the OP question is "yes", this must be an important political issue, since not only is BBC is a public service broadcaster governed to a degree by UK Parliament but also UK citizens' rights in respect of personal data, privacy and so on are subject to laws such as DPA and FOIA passed by UK Parliament.

All the more reason to be wary as far as I'm concerned. An administration that sees nothing wrong in selling patients' NHS medical records without consent doesn't inspire confidence in observance of the requisite DPA obligations....

[ahinton]

All the more reason to be wary as far as I'm concerned. An administration that sees nothing wrong in selling patients' NHS medical records without consent doesn't inspire confidence in observance of the requisite DPA obligations....

I don't know what those obligations are in respect of the government of the day and the sale of such records without their "owners'" consent but, as I do know that, for example, the UK financial services industry regulator and its immediate predecessor is/was exonerated from responsibilities under DPA by virtue of that Act's s34, DPA obligations are a rather more fluid phenomenon than some people might assume - and let's not forget the avowed desire (now apparently on the back burner for the foreseeable future) to scrap FOIA which, if implemented, would have further and wider impact upon individuals' data and how it can be used, bought sold, manipulated and the rest.

[PJPJ]

Whether or not the answer to the OP question is "yes", this must be an important political issue, since not only is BBC is a public service broadcaster governed to a degree by UK Parliament but also UK citizens' rights in respect of personal data, privacy and so on are subject to laws such as DPA and FOIA passed by UK Parliament.

Is the information not gathered via the cookies one agrees to receive?

[ahinton]

Is the information not gathered via the cookies one agrees to receive?

I presume so, but I understood the OP question to address whether the invasive nature of this might be deemed to constitute a breach of a law such as DPA.

[Petrushka]

Is the information not gathered via the cookies one agrees to receive?

I never agree to any cookies on any site, ever, but probably get them anyway.