Groups call on FTC for mobile marketing safeguards

Non-profits the Center for Digital Democracy and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group announced amendments to their 2006 complaint on interactive marketing techniques and consumer privacy concerns to include mobile marketing. During testimony at the Federal Trade Commission's "Beyond Voice: Mapping the Mobile Marketplace" event, Center for Digital Democracy executive director Jeff Chester said "The 'mobile marketing ecosystem,' as the industry terms it, poses new threats to consumers. Many of the same practices that have raised concern about online privacy--including profiling and behavioral targeting--are being migrated over to what is called the 'mobile web.'" Chester called on the FTC to assume a leadership role to guarantee consumer interests are reflected in mobile marketing applications and data collection techniques.

The amendment to the CDD/USPIRG complaint encompasses mobile marketing technologies that exploit consumer data like gender, age, language, income, education and location. "Mobile marketers--out of view from most policymakers and consumers--are creating what the rules of the mobile web experience will be for the public," Chester added. "Consumers need to be part of the mobile web equation, not as passive recipients of advertising and services, but as co-creators of how this new marketplace should be structured."

For more on the CDD/USPIRG complaint:
- read this release [1]

Related articles:
Forecast: Mobile marketing [2] growth to $24B by 2013
Measuring mobile marketing [3]