WASHINGTON-The wireless carrier trade association agreed to produce guidelines for managing wireless porn, even as porn giant Larry Flynt announced plans to enter the U.S. wireless market.
CTIA said Thursday it would add adult content guidelines to its voluntary carrier code of conduct by the second quarter with implementation by the end of the year. Thus far, the group has outlined voluntary policies for labeling content as either unrestricted or available only to consumers ages 18 or older. The guidelines also call for controls and age-verification mechanisms to block minors attempting to access restricted content, CTIA President Steve Largent said.
“For much of the last year, CTIA … has spearheaded an industrywide effort to understand and address the issues associated with content classification and restriction in the mobile wireless context,” Largent wrote in an open letter to John Muleta, chief of the Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. “The current timeline aims for adoption of the guidelines and announcement of the industrywide agreement in the second quarter of 2005, with implementation of the guidelines by the end of 2005.”
The letter was in response to an FCC note commending the trade organization for its work in controlling adult content, but urging it to adopt set guidelines for wireless porn. That communication was sparked by a February RCR Wireless News story chronicling CTIA’s work to create a ratings system for content.
Meanwhile, in California, Larry Flynt Publications Inc. said it will team with Giant Mobile Corp. to deliver racy content to cellular subscribers in North America and Asia. Hustler Mobile will offer adult-themed images, downloadable and streaming video, text messaging, gambling and puzzle games based on the Hustler publication.
The move expands on Hustler’s existing wireless offerings currently available in some European markets.
“Hustler Mobile is doing exceedingly well in Europe,” said Flynt. “I feel that wireless is the wave of the future, the crown jewel in the electronic distribution and delivery of content.”
