Viewers data collected by advertisement companies on ABC iview
Dear Australian Broadcasting Corporation,
Since your recent change to your new video player component dated June 2017 I’ve noticed an extreme and aggressive form of data collection from your viewers, at times at the rate of data collection from your viewers on iview is one (1) in every four (4) seconds and much of these viewers’ data is collected by advertisement companies.
Therefore I'd like to request a copy of the most recent document that describes the rationale for providing access and facilitating these data collections for the benefits of advertisement companies and their geographical location.
Please consider this a formal request under the FOI Act.
Yours faithfully,
E. Harari
Dear Mr Harari
I hope you are well.
Many thanks for the below request you sent to the ABC on 29 September
2017, under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
I have been looking into the matter to see how it may be best addressed,
as I suspected there may not be such a document as you requested (in
singular document form). As the FOI Act provides applicants with an
opportunity to request access to documents, rather than information, I
have sought advice from the departments responsible for iview and data
collection as to whether the document you requested might exist.
It was confirmed for me this morning that the document you describe (i.e.
“…the most recent document that describes the rationale for providing
access and facilitating these data collections for the benefits of
advertisement companies and their geographical location”) does not exist,
however representatives from ABC Television, Technology and Audiences are
working together to compile information from those areas that addresses
the matters presented in your request. They will be happy to send you this
response once they have all the information necessary.
If this satisfies your request for information regarding data collection
on the iview player, and the destination and or purpose/s of that data
collection, please confirm this with me and I will consider your FOI
request withdrawn.
If you decide to withdraw your formal FOI request, please also confirm
with me the email address you would like the ABC to send your response to.
I am happy to discuss these matters with you, should you have any
questions or concerns; please don’t hesitate to be in touch.
Kind regards
[1]ABC Juliana Walsh
Corporate Compliance Coordinator
P +61 2 8333 5304 E [email address]
[2]http://www.abc.net.au/corp/enter/img/bra...
Dear Mr Harari
Regarding the below, I am following up to see if you would prefer that the
ABC’s Television and Technology teams provide you with information
regarding your request, rather than continue with the more formal FOI
process.
As I mentioned previously, the particular document you have requested does
not exist, however information in relation to your enquiry is being
gathered.
I would be grateful if you would respond by 16 November 2017 letting me
know your position on the matter, i.e. would you prefer:
1. that relevant Teams provide information and you withdraw your FOI
request?
2. to continue with your FOI request as is?
3. to withdraw your request altogether?
Many thanks for your assistance.
Kind regards
[1]ABC Juliana Walsh
Corporate Compliance Coordinator
P +61 2 8333 5304 E [email address]
[2]http://www.abc.net.au/corp/enter/img/bra...
From: Juliana Walsh
Sent: Thursday, 26 October 2017 10:49 AM
To: 'Eli Harari' <[FOI #4113 email]>
Cc: Michael Martin <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Viewers data collected by
advertisement companies on ABC iview [ABC-Corp.FID5838]
Dear Mr Harari
I hope you are well.
Many thanks for the below request you sent to the ABC on 29 September
2017, under the Freedom of Information Act 1982.
I have been looking into the matter to see how it may be best addressed,
as I suspected there may not be such a document as you requested (in
singular document form). As the FOI Act provides applicants with an
opportunity to request access to documents, rather than information, I
have sought advice from the departments responsible for iview and data
collection as to whether the document you requested might exist.
It was confirmed for me this morning that the document you describe (i.e.
“…the most recent document that describes the rationale for providing
access and facilitating these data collections for the benefits of
advertisement companies and their geographical location”) does not exist,
however representatives from ABC Television, Technology and Audiences are
working together to compile information from those areas that addresses
the matters presented in your request. They will be happy to send you this
response once they have all the information necessary.
If this satisfies your request for information regarding data collection
on the iview player, and the destination and or purpose/s of that data
collection, please confirm this with me and I will consider your FOI
request withdrawn.
If you decide to withdraw your formal FOI request, please also confirm
with me the email address you would like the ABC to send your response to.
I am happy to discuss these matters with you, should you have any
questions or concerns; please don’t hesitate to be in touch.
Kind regards
[3]ABC Juliana Walsh
Corporate Compliance Coordinator
P +61 2 8333 5304 E [4][email address]
[5]http://www.abc.net.au/corp/enter/img/bra...
Dear Juliana Walsh,
Regarding your communique November 09, 2017, a meeting will take place at my residence this Sunday 19, November to deliberate my position unhurried. Whether I’ll accept a “relevant Team” to provide me information and I withdraw (my) the FOI remain to be seen. I will advise you of my position concerning (my) the FOI by November 24, 2017. If the November 24 date is not acceptable than please continue with (my) the FOI request as is?
In reference to withdrawing the FOI request altogether!
Have you ever heard of old diggers no matter how long in the tooth they are to ‘Throw in the towel’?
Kind regards
Eli Harari
Dear Juliana Walsh,
Congratulations for you and your team for bringing to an end this aggressive practice of data collection on Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC iView.
For your benefit and ABC iView clientele, a random samples for this unacceptable practice provided bellow, whereby, within the total time of 2 minutes and 54 seconds, 255 Attempts to collect data were detected 100 Ad agencies inclusive.
As for your proposal that the ABC’s Television and Technology teams will provide me with information regarding my request, rather than the formal FOI process.
Whether I’ll continue with the more formal FOI process depends on the ability and willingness of the relevant Teams to provide the names of the advertisement companies and their geographical location.
If they are disinclined to provide that information, in that case my request for the names of the advertisement companies and their geographical location stands, that is continuation with the more formal FOI process.
Regarding your suggestion that I shouldn't hesitate to be in touch to discuss these matters with you, I thank you for it but I cannot accept that at this point in time for the simple reason "Verba Volant, Scripta Manent".
Kind regards
E. Harari
------------------------------------------------------------
September 11, 2017 – Time 22:54:34
34 Seconds on ABC iView - Menu
Attempts to collect data detected: 93
Social networks-28
Web analytics-6
Ad agencies-22
Web beacons-37
September 11, 2017 - Time 22:55:08
50 Seconds on ABC iView category: documentaries main page
Attempts to collect data detected: 35
Social networks-8
Ad agencies-19
Web beacons-9
September 11, 2017 - Time 22:55:58
90 Seconds on ABC iView category: drama main page
Attempts to collect data detected: 127
Social networks-28
Web analytics-2
Ad agencies-59
Web beacons-38
Within total time of 2 minutes and 54 seconds 255 Attempts to collect data, 100 Ad agencies inclusive.
----------------------------
Dear Mr Harari
The ABC’s Television, Technology and Audiences teams have compiled a list
of the data collection tools used on the ABC iview video player
(iview.abc.net.au).
Company Service Type Company’s Primary Geographic
Location
WebTrends Web Analytics Portland, USA
Nielsen Holdings Web Analytics New York City, USA
OzTAM Video Analytics Sydney, Australia
Snowplow Web & Video Analytics Sydney, Australia
Facebook Social Media Marketing Menlo Park, USA
Google Web Analytics & Digital Mountain View, USA
Marketing
Twitter Digital Marketing San Francisco, USA
Gigya Sign-In Mountain View, USA
If this satisfies your request for information, please let me know.
If you would like to continue with your FOI request – our reference
2017-032 – please also let me know, and I will begin the formal process.
That process begins with a formal acknowledgment, which I will provide on
confirmation that your original request stands. That request was for the
following document:
“…a copy of the most recent document that describes the rationale for
providing access and facilitating these data collections [on ABC iview,
beginning 1 June 2017] for the benefits of advertisement companies, and
their geographical location.”
You may wish to clarify or amend your request at this stage, as I have let
you know the document described in your original request does not exist.
This means that access would be refused under section 24A(1) of the FOI
Act, which states an agency may refuse a request for access to a document
if all reasonable steps have been taken to find the document and the
agency is satisfied the document does not exist.
If you would like to amend your request in light of the provision of the
above information, please provide your updated request and we can continue
the FOI process.
Kind regards
[1]ABC Juliana Walsh
Corporate Compliance Coordinator
P +61 2 8333 5304 E [email address]
[2]http://www.abc.net.au/corp/enter/img/bra...