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ACA MOVES TO CONTROL MOBILE CONTENT |
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Written by Adam Gosling
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Thursday, 30 June 2005 |
The Australian Communications Authority foreshadowed the establishment of a mobile phone content “ombudsman” and has issued new rules covering SMS and MMS services accessed through ‘19’ numbers and premium services available through mobile carrier portals.
Fundamentally, the rules bring mobile phone content into line with other content services. X18+ and conetn refused classification is totally off limits while MA15+ and R18+ content will be reuired to use specific numbers (prefixed 195 and 196).
ACA Acting Chairman Dr Bob Horton said: “Phone companies and the companies providing the content for these services will have to abide by these rules.”
Further, the onus will be on content providers to implement processes which ensure minors do not get access to the age restricted content. The ACA will also have the power to remove content or services causing serious harm to consumers, particularly children.
The rules will also extend to “mobile chat room” services which will have to implement safety measures to reduce the risk to children of being groomed by paedophiles.
Dr Horton said phone companies and companies providing content would develop a Premium Mobile Services Industry Scheme to go with the ACA rules. This would ensure that consumers were provided with clear and accurate information about the cost, terms and conditions of a service at the time it is advertised and when it is being used.
“In addition, the scheme will include an unsubscribe command, such as ‘stop’, that consumers can use to cancel any subscription messaging service,” said Horton.
“An independent body will also be set up under the scheme for complaints that consumers have not been able to resolve with their phone company or the provider of the content.”
These measures complement those in the recently registered Internet Industry Association codes of practice that regulate internet content and mobile carrier portal content accessed over mobile devices.
Mobile premium services include sports scores, audio and video music clips and sports highlights, mobile ring tones, mobile wallpaper, games and other downloads, age-restricted content and chat rooms.
More information at www.aca.gov.au/telcomm/premiumservices
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