Alexandra Obst 18:55, 2 Sep 2004 (EST)
Privacy_and_New_Technologies
Privacy and New technologies-SMS Spam
SMS spam is unsolicited (unwanted) mail in the form of SMS messages that are bulk sent to several numbers at a time, advertising or promoting a company’s product. SMS spam is a growing problem that has become more common as technology advances. What has long been a problem for internet email users is now becoming a problem for all mobile phone users as well. SMS spam is a major problem in Japan as their advanced technology has allowed phones this service for many years.
As yet it is not as big a problem as email spam has become, but unless the industry takes action SMS spam could become a bigger issue. As mobiles are seen as a more personal form of contact than an email address this SMS spam can become a severe privacy infringement. Over two-thirds of mobile phone customers have received some form of SMS spam on their mobiles “The majority (65%) of mobile owners already receive up to five SPAM messages per week, a level perceived to be acceptable by 45% of operators. By sharp contrast, over 70% of subscribers find all SPAM unacceptable.� (http://www.cellular.co.za/news_2004/feb/021304-mobile_spam_becoming_a_major_pro.htm, accessed October 20, 2004). Spam is listed as one of the top 4 threats to the future mobile industry by the GSM Association. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) approved decisions to “Email Spam sent to mobile devices without permission will be illegal. Politicians, charities, and nonprofit groups are exempt.� (http://www.cellular.co.za/news_2004/aug/080404-sms_mobile_spam_draws_us_fcc_reg.htm, accessed October 17, 2004)
Although this seems to be a good regulation to have in place the FCC ruling does not put a ban on the growing menace of unsolicited text messages. Short Message Service messages have not been covered in this regulation making spam an increasingly large problem for mobile phone users. The text of such regulations is yet to be released but is quite necessary in providing privacy for mobile phone customers. The mergence of old technology and new technology has also prompted this growth of spam. With the growth of SMS voting for reality television and competitions, particular companies have access to users phone numbers therefore will use them to advertise their product or service. In some situations of spam invasion, the internet and mobile phones walk hand in hand, internet sites of companies offering mobile ring-tones are a source of mobile phone number “harvesting� (cited http://news.com.com/2100-10413-1015595.html. accessed 20 October 2004). With the new technologies such as GPRS services available on many mobile phones, as caller ID blocking is not available when using wireless internet sites therefore a user's number is available to the internet sites visited. This then follows with a number of SMS spam messages, which the phone user has to pay for. Using a mobile phone number to send unsolicited mail is a violation of a mobile phone customer’s private data. It is an invasion of privacy to be bombarded with as many as 5 SMS messages a day, companies should not have the authority to violate ones personal data in this way. SMS spam is a growing privacy issue and needs to be regulated before it becomes a problem as large as email spam.
Bibliography
FCC Moves to Ban Spam on Cell Phones. The DMA. 2004. http://www.the-dma.org/cgi/dispnewsstand?article=2609 (accessed October 9, 2004)
SMS Mobile spam draws US FCC regulator wrath. 2004. http://www.cellular.co.za/news_2004/aug/080404-sms_mobile_spam_draws_us_fcc_reg.htm (accessed October 17, 2004)
http://news.com.com/2100-10413-1015595.html (accessed October 20, 2004)
Mobile spam becoming a major problem. 2004. http://www.cellular.co.za/news_2004/feb/021304-mobile_spam_becoming_a_major_pro.htm (accessed October 20, 2004)
Alexandra Obst 16:33, 28 Oct 2004 (EST)
