In response to recent concerns over the commitment of ISPs to protecting the privacy of internet users, the London Internet Exchange (LINX), a partnership of internet service providers operating in the UK, is organizing a forum aimed at producing an internet privacy code for the industry. In a prepared statement, LINX said it had written to an exhaustive selection of UK internet industry bodies, public interest groups, online civil liberties groups, the UK Data Protection Registrar and the UK’s Department of Trade and Industry inviting them to a meeting with its members on March 22 to discuss a privacy code. It is not yet clear what the code would entail, but Keith Mitchell, CEO of LINX, said the initiative is prompted by concern in the ISP industry over the mistaken impression created by inaccurate reporting…that the privacy of subscribers is not of primary importance to ISPs. A spokesperson for LINX said invitations had just been sent out and so it was not certain yet how much support the initiative will receive. LINX is a not-for-profit organization whose 47 members include Cable & Wireless, PSINet UK and Global One.
