Virgin Mobile announced that it will adopt an "opt-in" policy around new forms of content on its mobile phones to combat unwanted cellular porn. With more than 3.7 million customers, the company said they have taken this position in an effort to ensure that only those customers who have proven they are over 18 can gain access to adult content and other “age-restricted experiences.”
"We want our customers to have access to as wide and as rich a range of content experiences on their mobile phone as possible, but we believe that it is important to protect our young customers from adult content," John Conlon, Virgin Mobile's head of adult services, said in a statement. "Therefore we have chosen to apply an 'opt-in' policy to ensure that those under 18 may only gain access to suitable content."
| Excerpts from the “Joint Code of Practice for New Forms of Content” |
| •All commercial content unsuitable for customers under 18 will be classified "18". Such content will not be made available to customers until the networks, through a process of age verification, are satisfied that he or she is at least 18. •The classification framework will be in line with comparable standards in other media and will be created by a body that is independent of the mobile operators < •Chat rooms made available to customers under 18 will be moderated (ie monitored to guard against inappropriate use) •Parents and careers will be able to apply filters to the mobile operator's Internet access service so that the Internet content thus accessible is restricted •Mobile operators will work with law enforcement agencies to deal with the reporting of content that may break the criminal law •Mobile operators will also combat bulk and nuisance communications < •Mobile operators will provide advice to customers on the nature and use of new mobile devices and services and support other relevant media literacy activities designed to improve the knowledge of consumers. The full code can be viewed here (membership required). |
"The intention is to self-regulate as much as possible and put the consumer at the heart of the network," added a Virgin spokesperson.
Virgin Mobile is still looking at an array of options for age verification.
This decision comes hot on the heels of Vodafone UK's unveiling of a new content control product, designed to prevent minors accessing inappropriate content. Based on an age validator, age registration information is collected at the point of sale.
"Vodafone will take on the role of age validator for its customer base, meaning that after launch, any customer whose request to access an adult service is passed through Vodafone to an aggregator has been age verified," read their statement. "Vodafone will collect age registration details for its customer at point of sale, or through a Web and WAP registration system. Once a customer has successfully opted out of Content Control, no further restrictions will be placed on their access to internet, voice, text or MMS."
Virgin Mobile has been closely involved with the recently published pan-operator “Joint Code of Practice for New Forms of Content,” a self-regulatory code that has been developed in order to set guidelines for safe and appropriate access to content on mobile phones by the end of 2004.
