back to article BBC will ‘retain your viewing history’

Last week the BBC launched a mobile app, called BBC+, delivering “customisable content collections” to your phone or tablet. It’s a personalised service which requires an email address. Last year, when the corporation announced its plans for personalised services, it made several data protection promises. Specifically, Phil …

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  1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    English translation needed

    "We have met and continue to engage with the ICO on personal data usage. We regularly review the ICO’s published guidance about current and future legislation, particularly in relation to GDPR. We comply with all aspects of the Data Protection Act and take the operational privacy and security of people’s personal information very seriously."

    I recognise all the words but have a problem extracting meaning. I do, however, recognise the last bit. It occurs frequently in association with "only a few customers were affected" or similar expressions.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: English translation needed

      I do, however, recognise the last bit.

      The first bit (We have met and continue to engage with the ICO on personal data usage etc) sounds to me as if they are looking for loopholes. Why would you need to meet/engage with the ICO other than to see if some wheeze is allowed?

    2. Swarthy

      Re: English translation needed

      I recognise all the words but have a problem extracting meaning.

      That's probably because there isn't one, or they don't want anyone to be able to figure out the meaning.

    3. Mark 85

      Re: English translation needed

      I recognise all the words but have a problem extracting meaning.

      Try this... "We have lots of meetings. The morning pastries are excellent and the lunch and beer are perfect. We also get write all this off our taxes and have a few manager types not on the premises so the worker bees get a few more things done."

      1. 96percentchimp

        Re: English translation needed

        As an outsider who's had meetings at the BBC, I can confirm there is tea and coffee but there are no free pastries and few boozy lunches, mainly because of miserly funts who think that working for any publicly-funded body should be a monastic slog. There might be a subsidised cafe and bar, which is entirely reasonable. The exception is for visiting journalists, politicians and celebs, who are showered with food and booze as they are everywhere, and probably think this applies to everyone else.

  2. Electron Shepherd
    Stop

    It's for marketing...

    As Fearnley says, the BBC is not trying to sell you anything

    Well, either he's lying through his teeth, or http://store.bbc.com/ is about to be closed down.

    I wonder which it is?

    1. Mage Silver badge

      Re: It's for marketing...

      Certainly if you are not using UK IP address they sell stuff and give you 3rd party adverts.

    2. Crazy Operations Guy

      Re: It's for marketing...

      You also have to consider that while -they- aren't trying to sell you something, they have advertisers that pay a pretty penny to get their hands on it (in fact, television stations were among the first to get on the "sell our customers' data to advertisers" business model). TV viewing habits are quite valuable to advertisers, especially when they can be combined with the mountains of data they are gathering from all their other sources.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: It's for marketing...

        This is the BBC, they don't have adverts, or advertisers. They are not allowed to as they are publicly funded.

        1. gazthejourno (Written by Reg staff)

          Re: Re: It's for marketing...

          BBC World does. Certain websites of theirs also display ads when viewed from abroad.

    3. 96percentchimp

      Re: It's for marketing...

      You're confusing the BBC with BBC Worldwide.

  3. Jonathan Richards 1

    @Andrew

    Could you ask the BBC specifically whether it has carried out a Privacy Impact Assessment [PDF]?

    If they have, could they share it with us, please? And if they haven't, pray why not?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    and six months down the line...

    The offer of loadsamoney from a Large Ad slinger will make the BBC change their pledge and bang all that lovely data has gone to the Ad men. Once they finish drooling over it, you will get bombarded with Ad for things that you never knew existed let alone wanted just because some relationship was match to a word in a page you once viewed for 5 nano seconds.

    nope. sorry BBC not going to bite.

    Posting Anon for ... well you know why.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Posting Anon for ... well you know why.

      I do. Posting stupid? Post anonymous.

      1. Adam 52 Silver badge

        Re: Posting Anon for ... well you know why.

        Not that stupid, since the BBC are ready sharing browsing history with the Ads market:

        http://www.krux.com/customer-success/case-studies/bbc-worldwide-case-study/

    2. ecofeco Silver badge

      Re: and six months down the line...

      Down votes for marketing cynism? Far too many naive people in this world.

  5. James 51

    Opera use to have a similar pledge about the data they gathered on users of its browser. We're going to find out that that's worth now that it's been bought over. (I know the BBC is not 'commercial' entity but that didn't stop Call Me Dave selling extremely sensitive personal information held by the NHS for a tiny fraction of it's value and there's plenty of MPs who would like to see it privatised or made to pay it's way more (both the BBC and the NHS)).

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Happily there are disposable e-mail addresses and Mailinator.

  6. Buzzword

    Is it any worse than what Netflix or Amazon (presumably) do with your data?

    1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      "Is it any worse than what Netflix or Amazon (presumably) do with your data?"

      From the Beeb we should be able to expect better. Much better.

      1. Daggerchild Silver badge

        "From the Beeb we should be able to expect better. Much better"

        Better how? Isn't this boilerplate stuff, several years old, and doesn't the BBC have to buy audience research in regardless?

    2. King Jack
      Headmaster

      Retarded Argument

      Please will you stop using the childish excuse that X is fine because Y and Z are worse. What point are you trying to make?

      1. Buzzword

        Re: Retarded Argument

        My point is why attack X when Y and Z have been doing it for ages? Attack them first.

        1. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

          Re: Retarded Argument

          "My point is why attack X when Y and Z have been doing it for ages? Attack them first."

          Prevention is better than cure.

    3. david bates

      Well for a start Netflix and Amazon have never sent me threatening letters with the possibility of imprisonment behind them for not wanting to use their service...

      1. Phil.T.Tipp
        Big Brother

        Hmmm. The BBC have sent me threatening letters with the possibility of imprisonment behind them for not wanting to use their service.

        I once owned a TV, via which I viewed DVDs and digital video from my Mac and cable TV from Virgin. As a TV owner the BBC demanded that I must be compelled to pay a punitive tax, for not wanting to use their service. I refused, the BBC didn't think this was acceptable, and and the threatening began.

        Think about it.

        1. Chloe Cresswell Silver badge

          I don't have a TV licence, and I've never had a problem.

          But then, unlike your example ("cable TV from Virgin") I don't have a system that receives broadcast TV, the only access I would have to BBC is via iplayer, and I haven't used that since canceling my tv licence either.

          1. Dave 15

            haven't had a problem?

            Wow you are lucky. I don't have a TV anymore, nor devices for watching. I get a letter every other week (which I save and deliver to my MP). I get a visit around once a month (which I refuse to let in my house). Eventually they will get tired of the game and turn up with some court order I expect.

            This is intimidation. If I were a little old pensioner instead of being a bloody minded miserable grumpy old man then I might be scared into all sorts.

            In the UK we are supposed (and I know it is now very clearly no longer the case) we are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. It is up 'to them' to build a case and prove you are guilty of an offence, it is NOT up to you to prove yourself innocent.

            I expect we will soon see the day when MPs back down and allow the BBC to charge us all regardless of whether we have any means of viewing tv. They will argue that the bbc provides online stuff for everyone and therefore is allowed the money. This will lead to situations like the one in Germany where a guy with no power never mind tv in a shack in a forest clearing has to have a licence.

            Frankly I would prefer the MPs dismantle the bbc and let it go to a warm place in a handcart

        2. sabroni Silver badge

          re: and cable TV from Virgin

          That counts as broadcast TV, you need a license for that. Should've stuck to the DVDs and iPlayer (not live streaming) and you'd be legally fine.

          Ignorance of the law and all that.....

  7. PhosphorDot

    Arrgh Beeb

    And the other doozy coming from Auntie Beeb is you'll need a TV licence for Iplayer from 1st September 2016.

    Amazing how they can retain your data on the one hand, and on the other are incapable of tying a username/password to your TV licence account.

    More info:

    http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/topics/bbc-iplayer-and-the-tv-licence

    1. phil dude
      Black Helicopters

      Re: Arrgh Beeb

      I notice from that link that in the FAQ "What do I do if I have a license? Your address will be automatically approved...."

      they'll tie it to your IP address apparently....the cynic in me says to start scanning downloads for embedded watermarks...

      P.

      1. PhosphorDot

        Re: Arrgh Beeb

        "What do I do if I have a license? Your address will be automatically approved...."

        Think that's the physical house address, not IP address... .

      2. Dan 55 Silver badge

        Re: Arrgh Beeb

        How will they tie your IP address to your physical address?

        I think they mean your household will be covered and won't get an inspector coming round.

      3. tiggity Silver badge

        Re: Arrgh Beeb

        IP address?

        And the chances of me always accessing iplayer from same IP address will be zero.

        .

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Arrgh Beeb

          It wouldn't surprise me if iPlayer decides to block VPN ranges.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Arrgh Beeb

      Expect a raft of BBC programs to appear on torrent sites, usage in "getIplayer" will increase, and the BBC will be asking ISPs for users IP details to see if any of them ARE connecting to the BBC.

      Cat and mouse again.

      I'll stick with my black and white license.

      PS, as i do not need a license to pick up radio, will the iplayer radio site be covered in this little facade as well???

      1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

        Re: Arrgh Beeb

        PS, as i do not need a license to pick up radio, will the iplayer radio site be covered in this little facade as well???

        You could have found the answer to that by looking at the site linked-to:

        "There will be just two exceptions – watching S4C TV on demand and listening to radio. "

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Arrgh Beeb @ Phil O'Sophical

          It doesn't mention radio and im not sifting through the beebs propaganda to find out.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Arrgh Beeb @ Phil O'Sophical

            The modifications to the communications act due for September may be found http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/704/pdfs/uksi_20160704_en.pdf

            I've yet to work out for certain if "on-demand programme provided by BBC" includes archived music or not, there could still be scope for this to happen.

    3. DavCrav

      Re: Arrgh Beeb

      "And the other doozy coming from Auntie Beeb is you'll need a TV licence for Iplayer from 1st September 2016.

      Amazing how they can retain your data on the one hand, and on the other are incapable of tying a username/password to your TV licence account."

      The suggestion is that you will need to use your TV licence details to access iPlayer so yes, they will know everything about you.

    4. Dave 15

      Re: Arrgh Beeb

      So now when the police and jackbooted licence inspectors visit then they will check not just for TVs but now have an excuse to take every computer, fondle pad, smart phone etc, in the house away for forensic examination... probably for months...

  8. s. pam Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    There's been a rampant history in the BBC

    Of fiddling and diddling and I wouldn't trust them with my pole. Barge pole is optional....!

  9. TheProf
    Facepalm

    How intrusive!

    Step 1: Create new account using disposable email address.

    Step 2: Enjoy.

    Re: Licence required for watching iPlayer. Damn! Now I'll have to watch Click at my mum's house.

    1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

      Re: How intrusive!

      Click is broadcast on World Service. AFAIK, you don't need a license for that coz the UK Gov pays for most of it out of the Foreign Office budget (or some other namelss dept).

      Youcan get it outside of the UK no problem so why not inside?

      1. TheProf

        Re: How intrusive!

        The World Service used to be government funded but now, thanks to our wise and noble leaders, it's paid for from the licence fee, limited advertising and profits from BBC Worldwide Ltd.(So says Wiki.)

      2. King Jack
        Thumb Down

        Re: How intrusive!

        Click (the video program) was first an iPlayer exclusive, then went on to be hidden away on BBC news (where nobody knew it was on). Click is like a modern Tomorrow's world but rather than make it available to the masses (BBC1 or BBC2) they hide it away thereby wasting tax payer's money. They send a full staff and crew on jollies all around globe. If the BBC had to earn a living they would make sure this program was publicized and as many people watched as possible. But because of the unique way they are funded (extortion) it doesn't affect the bottomless pit. So the presenters become rich on your dime with next to zero viewers.

        1. TheProf

          Re: How intrusive!

          @King Jack

          It used to be shown on BBC1 on, I think, Monday morning. I didn't realise it had been removed as I watch it on iPlayer.

          As for the presenters being rich: Spencer Kelly is still wearing the military style jacket he bought from C&A.

  10. JakeMS

    Thankfully...

    The BBC do not produce anything worth watching anyway, every time I see a BBC channel it's deadenders, antiques shows, house buying/selling or biased news.

    There used to be a show called Top Gear that was fairly good, but even that's been messed up now.

    So thankfully I'll not be using this service, even more so now they will be retaining and selling your viewing records (They claim they don't, but they will eventually even if in secret, after all.. why collect it if you don't plan to use it?)

    I would suggest to everyone: Ditch your TV License, totally block any and all BBC channels on your TV, block BBC URL's on all your internet accessing kit and just stop paying for the pointless license.

    Or better yet, do it my way, take down your aerial antenna/dish, and sell it on eBay, this way there is no TV signals at all coming from your property, then just hook up a computer with Kodi/Netflix and download anything you intend to watch instead.

    You need to notify them that you do not require a TV license, but they ignore it and still send abusive threatening letters anyway.

    But this way, even if they turn up you can just say "I don't need a TV License". Although, in the 5 years or so I've not paid for a TV license I've not had anyone actually turn up yet, lots of wasted paper from them though.

    1. TheProf

      Re: Thankfully...

      "I would suggest to everyone: Ditch your TV License ............ download anything you intend to watch instead."

      And when no one makes TV or films because there's no profit to be had, what then?

      It wont work. I've ignored all forms of sport for 30 years and yet it's still out there.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Thankfully...

      > "The BBC do not produce anything worth watching anyway,"

      Attenborough ... ;)

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