Text-messaging spam filter may be illegal.(News)

RCR Wireless News, May, 2003

Byline: HEATHER FORSGREN WEAVER Wireless carriers could be running afoul of the law if they filter text messages in an attempt to reduce spam to their customer's devices because common carriers cannot filter content. At issue is whether wireless data, including spam, is a telecommunications service-and protected under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act -or whether it is an information service and thus not regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.

Under the TCPA, auto dialing to wireless devices is illegal. Michael Altschul, senior vice president and general counsel of the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, said it is an information service. But Rodney Joffe, a card-carrying member of the Direct Marketing...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.