WebProNews

Amazon.com announced today it would not allow behavioral advertising firm Phorm to access its Web pages to compile information on Internet users.

Phorm tracks individuals browsing in order to serve highly targeted ads. Phorm has received criticism from the European Commission for the way ISPs use it in the UK. The EU is currently considering legal action against the UK over the use of Phorm.

Amazon spokesman Craig Berman did not give an explanation about the move. "All we're saying is we've chosen to opt out," he said. "I don't know if they've even implemented anything yet."

Phorm said in a statement "There is a process in place to allow publishers to contact Phorm and opt out of the system, but we do not comment on individual cases."

Digital advocacy organization the Open Rights Group welcomed the move by Amazon and other companies. "By choosing to block the contentious online advertising system from scanning its web pages, these firms have taken the positive choice to protect users' privacy and their own brands," it said on its Web site.

"We expect more sites to block Webwise in the near future and also ISPs to drop plans to snoop on web users."