Report: Spammers Taking Over Text Messages
As if spammers infiltrating your email were not enough, a study indicates that millions of text-message spams are already in circulation, with many more to come. According to a San Francisco Chronicle article, nearly ten billion text messages are sent by US cell phone users every month, leading spammers to tap into the trend and target younger cell phone users who send the highest number of texts.
Heidi Flato, a spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless, agreed that, “Spam is a growing concern in the wireless realm.” Verizon filters up to 50,000 spam messages every day before they can reach customers’ cell phones.
While email spam may simply be an annoyance, text message spam carries with it a ten cent charge, regardless of whether the message is read or unread, solicited or unsolicited. Unless consumers are comfortable with wireless companies reading each of their texts before arrival, there is little that the companies can do to hinder the messages. However, William Baker, a Washington attorney and expert in telecom law, claims that they can do more to alleviate some of the costs of wireless spam.
The FCC prohibits the sending of unwanted “commercial messages” to cell phone users, but the rule does not apply to any company with which a consumer has had a prior relationship, thus allowing the spam to get through. Downloading ring tones, voting for reality show contestants, and playing wireless games are actions that commonly activate spamming.
Reader Comments.
- Pingback from Adotas » For Better or for Worse, Mobile is on the Move
Leave a Comment
Article Sponsor
More News
-
Loading ...
Latest News
- Funding in Brief: $10M for Spongecell, $8M for Prolexic February 9th 2012 ADOTAS – Rich media ad company Spongecell has raised $10 million [...] more »
- Google AdMob Axes Minimum Bids, Targeting Fees February 9th 2012 ADOTAS - As of Feb. 15, Google will change its [...] more »
- Infographic: HootSuite Analyses Social Media Impact of Super Bowl Ads February 7th 2012 ADOTAS - So, it’s the Tuesday after the Super Bowl, [...] more »
- Facebook to Serve Mobile Ads in Coming Weeks February 6th 2012 ADOTAS – According to a Financial Times report, Facebook will [...] more »
- Survey: 39 Percent of Mobile Users Responded to Super Bowl Ads Via Mobile February 6th 2012 ADOTAS - During the Super Bowl yesterday, mobile ad network [...] more »
- Sponsormob Leads the Way Into RTB for Mobile February 3rd 2012 ADOTAS – For more than half a decade, Berlin-based tech [...] more »
- Weird Study: Mobile Purchasing While in the Bathroom on the Rise February 3rd 2012 DM CONFIDENTIAL - According to 11mark, three-quarters of Americans with mobile [...] more »
Features
- Attribution Online: Introducers and Influencers and Closers… Oh My! February 9th 2012
- With gTLDs, Global Branding Starts with a Name February 9th 2012
- Rethinking the Online Advertising Ecosystem, Part One: Independent Publishers February 8th 2012
- Case Study: Social Ad Effectiveness February 8th 2012
- Video: “Build an SEO Foundation” Excerpt February 8th 2012
Spotlight
Sponsormob Leads the Way Into RTB for MobileADOTAS – For more than half a decade, Berlin-based tech firm Sponsormob has remained relevant in an industry characterized by [...] more...
Reader Favorites
Classifieds
- PS Technical Writer - SEO Data Analyst
- Interactive Project Manager
- Media Buyer
- PHP Software Engineer (Facebook Platform/Social AP
- SEO/Marketing Internship at Green Education Startu
Recent Comments
- With gTLDs, Global Branding Starts with a Name – ADOTAS | ShopComs.com: [...] With gTLDs, Global Branding Starts with a NameADOTASADOTAS – It's no longer important how
- Domain Outlook : Latest Domain News » Blog Archive » With gTLDs, Global Branding Starts with a Name - ADOTAS: [...] With gTLDs, Global Branding Starts with a NameADOTASADOTAS – It's no longer important how
- With gTLDs, Global Branding Starts with a Name: [...] and Microsoft have little to worry about over names like UnitedThis and UnitedThat. The
- ReTargeter » Attacking Bad Banners: Inaugural Edition: [...] between 0.01% to 0.1%. Even with retargeted ads, which tend to have clickthrough rates
