WASHINGTON-Since customers must be at least 18 years old to have their own mobile-phone account, the wireless industry last week said it would begin classifying carrier-controlled content and restrict access to inappropriate content to non-primary account phone users.
CTIA last week released the details of its classification system, which will divide content into Restricted Carrier Content-available to those 18 years and older-and Generally Acceptable Carrier Content. CTIA has been working with the Federal Communications Commission on the issue since the beginning of the year when RCR Wireless News first reported that the wireless association was looking at ways to pre-empt content regulation.
In September, CTIA’s board of directors unanimously voted to support a two-phase program for content regulation. The first phase will classify content and the second will provide guidelines for individual carriers to implement access controls.
The system is effective immediately and CTIA stressed that no restricted carrier-controlled content will be available until carriers independently develop ways to make blocking possible.
“Carriers are aggressively researching technological solutions, and implementation of controls will vary according to each carrier’s unique business plans and technological capabilities,” said CTIA.
Content will be classified using the same criteria for rating movies, TV, music and games. This criteria has been made available to the carriers. The content will not be “rated” per se because the ratings are proprietary, but the top level-for example R for movies or M for TV-will now be restricted.
It will still be possible to get access to any lawful content available on the public Internet if access to the Internet is available on the phone. For example, if a user of any age is using a device that allows him or her to surf the World Wide Web, it will still be possible to get access to what some may consider inappropriate content.
Verizon Wireless said it has already been classifying content for two years.
“We abide by it today. We have for two years. We have a team that looks at content and determines what is generally acceptable to our consumers,” said Jeffrey Nelson, Verizon Wireless executive director of corporate communications. “We have erred on the side of zero restricted content.”
Verizon Wireless also allows the primary account holder to block any of the services that may be available, but users cannot block specific offerings such as a single music video, said Nelson.
Getting ahead of the curve on content classification has been a big goal for 2005 for CTIA President Steve Largent.
“Our mantra in this whole process has been responsibility, choice and control,” Largent told RCR Wireless News. “Taking responsibility ourselves, expecting parents to take responsibility for their children, but giving them the choice and control.”
The classification system indicates that carriers believe that content will be a driver in the future, said Matthew Dinsmore, vice president at The Management Network Group Inc. “The ratings are an indicator of where this is heading. The only reason people would care is if people really accept this type of delivery,” said Dinsmore.
TMNG is expected to release today a comprehensive study of content and the convergence of mobile and fixed telephony and media.
Federal regulators praised the CTIA initiative.
“This industry effort should really help families who rely on their cell phones but do not want their children inadvertently exposed to adult material,” said FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein.
“This voluntary program ultimately will provide wireless carriers and their customers with the information and means to limit children’s access to the potentially objectionable material that is increasingly available on Internet-enabled wireless handsets. Although advanced technology provides new and improved opportunities to manage our lives and educate our children, in some instances it can also make the already-challenging job of parenting even more difficult. The voluntary initiative announced by CTIA demonstrates that the wireless industry appreciates these challenges and is willing to better empower parents,” said FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy. “I commend the wireless industry’s initiative and hope this lesson in corporate responsibility serves as a model for others.”
