BT Group PLC

The U.K. Internet service provider BT Group said Monday it has completed its most recent test of controversial behavioral targeting company Phorm's platform, Webwise, and expects to roll out the system throughout the network. BT and Phorm refused to answer questions about whether they intend to seek subscribers' explicit consent before deploying the platform, or whether Webwise will automatically monitor Web activity and serve targeted ads unless subscribers opt out.

UK commercial TV leader ITV (LSE: ITV) and telco BT (NYSE: BT) are signing up to a BBC project to create an open standard for delivering on-demand video over broadband to living room TVs. They are joining Project Canvas, under which the BBC wants to mobilise content makers, ISPs and set-top box manufacturers to develop a common platform for access both to broadcast and on-demand internet video.

In a comically inept move, U.K. Internet service provider BT Group has decided to delete posts on its forums about its deployment of Phorm's controversial behavioral targeting platform.