Slow-burning behavioural ad targeting network Phorm has lost another likely client - Orange had been considering using the service on its UK ISP network, making money from the transfer of its users’ browsing data to advertisers, but has decided against it on privacy grounds. Orange’s online ads SVP Paul-François Fournier (via FT.com): “Privacy is in our DNA, so we need to be honest and clear about what we are doing. We have decided not to be in Phorm because of that. The way it was proposed, the privacy issue was too strong.” Guardian News & Media had earlier considered adopting Phorm, too, but backed down over fears the privacy aspect didn’t sit well with its brand image.

Meanwhile, Orange saw UK sales fall 6.1 percent to €4.3 billion between January and September. Income from data services rose 16.7 percent compared with the year-ago period and mobile broadband dongle adoption almost doubled in a year to 2.83 million.  More at mocoNews.net...

• Guardian Backs Out Of Phorm, Ponders Overseas Expansion