The obvious difference being that, by visiting The Inquirer, you gave implied consent - both by visiting and having cookies enabled.

Phorm is at the supplier level, theres no implied consent, as you have no option but to pass through the system, which is why it requires explicit consent.

Bingo!

Not to mention the super cookies in Flash files. Best solution: uninstall the flash plugin (better never install it), install privoxy and adblocker, have your web browser wipe cookies, history and cache after each session.

Bloody rich of the Inquirer to place such a pejorative write up of Phorm's platform considering that a quick check of my browser's cache shows that your own site has placed 9 cookies on my computer just by viewing this article alone.

God knows what they're tracking...and, um, didn't see any opt-out or obvious instructions for doing so when I visited the site.

Glasshouses, stones and tin-foil hat wearing hypocrites do not a happy mix make!