Virgin Media Addresses Tube Wi-Fi Privacy Concerns

Virgin Media has been forced to change the terms and conditions of its recently-launched London Underground Wi-Fi service after it emerged they allowed the company to monitor users’ internet communications.

After being alerted to the clause, Virgin changed the offending clause, but told TechWeekEurope that it never had any intention of exercising the powers it was granted.

Misinterpretation

The firm said that a certain clause had been misinterpreted and that it was only in there to fulfil legal obligations. It added that it never had any intention of snooping on users’ emails and communications and that the terms and conditions had been altered to reflect that.

“Clearly such broad terms and conditions were a cause for concern and I’m pleased Virgin have moved quickly to address this serious privacy issue,” commented Nick Pickles, director of privacy and civil liberties group Big Brother Watch. “The public should be able to use Wi-Fi services without fear of their internet use and emails being monitored, especially for marketing purposes.”

The Wi-Fi service was only launched last week, bringing Internet to the platforms of six London Underground stations, including Oxford Circus, Victoria and Warren Street. Virgin Media plans to extend it to 80 stations in time for the Olympic Games this summer and 120 by the end of 2012.

Virgin, which was awarded the contract earlier this year, has said that the service will be free to all users until the end of the games, after which it will only remain free of charge to customers of Virgin Media and other selected carriers.

The Cloud has won a separate deal to provide Wi-Fi connections at all 56 stations on the London Overground network. Commuters will receive 60 minutes of free Wi-Fi a day and, unlike the Virgin Media service, will remain free after the conclusion of the Olympics.

Earlier today it was reported that Alcatel-Lucent is in talks to provide mobile coverage to the tube, the latest in a series of attempts to do so.

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