Sky has recently sent out a notice to its TV customers saying it was tweaking some of its terms and conditions and from now on will have the right to use "information about the shows and channels users watch".

According to Sky, this will be actually beneficial to the consumer as this will enable the TV service to suggest programmes as well as make advertising more "relevant" to clients.

In more detail Sky wants to combine data such as viewing preferences and "some of the information you've provided us with - such as your postcode and TV package - to build up a picture of what types and products and services might be of interest to you".

"We then substitute standard adverts with ones we believe to be more tailored to your interests. For example, if you already have Sky broadband, seeing an ad for that service is unnecessary."

This means that clients will see information related to their locality, interests and lifestyle - for instance those who subscribe to children's content will "see more adverts for family cars rather than sports models".

Nevertheless, it has been said that this quite a controversial tactic, with the EU seeking to make companies, as well as web-based businesses to get the user's consent and permission before implementing these tactics.