FCC unit probes text messaging outreach

The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau--a division of the FCC--is seeking comment on a petition to clarify the regulatory status of text messages and short codes in response to a joint petition filed in mid-December by organizations including Public Knowledge, Free Press, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, Media Access Project, New America Foundation, and U.S. PIRG. The petition calls for the addition of SMS-based services under the anti-discrimination provisions of the Communications Act, asserting that text messaging is "rapidly becoming a major mode of speech, as a replacement for and a complement to traditional voice communications," and that "short codes are developing into an important tool for political and social outreach." The petitioners allege that mobile carriers "arbitrarily decide what customers to serve and which speech to allow in text messages, refusing to serve those that they find controversial or that compete with the mobile carriers' services."  Interested parties may file comments on or before February 13, 2008, and reply comments on or before March 14. 

The petition follows a controversial September decision by Verizon Wireless to reject a request from non-profit group Naral Pro-Choice America to distribute an abortion rights text message program via the operator's national network, telling the group "it does not accept programs "that seek to promote an agenda or distribute content that, in its discretion, may be seen as controversial or unsavory to any of our users." After the incident hit the mainstream media, Verizon announced a reversal in its corporate policy, releasing a statement reading in part "The decision to not allow text messaging on an important, though sensitive, public policy issue was incorrect, and we have fixed the process that led to this isolated incident... Verizon Wireless is proud to provide services such as text messaging, which are being harnessed by organizations and individuals communicating their diverse opinions about issues and topics. We have great respect for this free flow of ideas and will continue to protect the ability to communicate broadly through our messaging service."

For more on the text petition:
- read this release

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