USF tech incubator company markets to porn users

Created with the intent of raising the economic viability of the Tampa Bay area, USF’s Technology Incubator has managed to raise some eyebrows lately with its announcement that one of the companies in the Incubator has ties to the porn industry.

The St. Petersburg Times recently reported one of the Incubator Companies, PrivacyView Software, sells software that encrypts and hides all Internet traces, including temporary Internet files, Web cookies, favorites and Internet history.

“What we do is either amusing to some or raises eyebrows to others, and there will be some people who will be offended by the uses that the software can be put to,” PrivacyView President Norman Greif said.

The Times report featured an interview with State Senator Ronda Storms of Brandon, who expressed dismay over the inclusion of PrivacyView in the Incubator project. Storms, a former Hillsborough County commissioner, had previously approved funding for the project but was not aware of PrivacyView’s participation, she told the Times.

Greif said USF has been supportive of PrivacyView throughout the process and has not been bothered by the recent media attention.

“USF’s position was that what we do is an interesting technology, and they judge companies on the merits of their business plans,” he said. “The University is a place where there’s a free exchange of ideas. I think our company (has been) portrayed well.”

Ken Gullette, Director of Media Relations, views the media attention on PrivacyView differently.

“He and I have not necessarily agreed on all the aspects of this,” Gullette said. “He sees it as a good way to get publicity; I would prefer not to be associated with that kind of publicity, nor would the University.”

Greif is bothered by accusations that child predators are using his software and that it hinders police investigations of people who have child pornography on their computers.

“If anyone had bothered to check the license agreement, they would see that we would turn over the encryption keys to law officers at request,”

he said.

Despite criticisms from local politicians and the media attention it has garnered, Greif said PrivacyView is not leaving the Incubator, although he said they are slowly outgrowing it.

“It is a wonderful place to start a business,” he said. “We’re at the point where we think we’ve outgrown the Incubator. It’s tight in there. It’s a great place to start, but at some point you have to move on. I don’t know how long we’ll be there.”

Located on Spectrum Boulevard across from the Embassy Suites in USF’s Research Park, Tampa Bay Technology Incubator serves businesses conducting biotechnology and life sciences research in a 60,000 square-foot building. The incubator provides companies with 130 square feet of office space and 1,300 square-foot laboratories. In addition to the office space and research amenities, USF provides technical assistance, support and advice to the companies.

Greif is concerned about how his company might negatively affect the other businesses in the Incubator.

“If the county said to them ‘he goes, or we cut your funding,’ I would leave because I wouldn’t want to affect the other businesses,” he said.

Greif said he hopes his First Amendment rights never let it come to that point.

“What’s missing in all of that is the reality that adult content is legal in the United States, and there is this whole free speech concept that kind of gets overlooked,” he said.

Christine Gibson can be reached at (813) 974-6299 or oraclegibson@gmail.com.