Technology Vault - NewsBytes
Friday 22 October, 2004
UK Mobile operators get new watchdog by bluetracker @ 4:32 pm
There is light at the end of the tunnel
…as ICSTIS off-shoot is set to ‘police’ the mobile phone airwaves
If you are a Parent, you’ve no doubt experienced that “must not be seen without” fashion accessory that today’s kids crave…the mobile phone.
To older members of the populace these handy little gadgets are just another means of communication, to the younger ones among us they are a drain on Parental bank balances as manufacturers seem to launch a newer model on what seems (to me anyway) a weekly basis. Of course your sibling MUST have the latest phone or face the ridicule of being ‘behind the times’ by their peer group. If that isn’t all, there are many ‘adult services’ available ‘out there’ on mobile phone networks that can readily be accessed by ‘minors’ and many a Parent has found the bill for their child’s mobile phone activities getting larger and larger as each payment period arrives, not to mention the worry of just what your child is looking at or downloading on their mobiles. This is all set to change according to the latest news release from ICSTIS.....
Thursday, 21st October. London.
The UK mobile phone operators, O2, Orange, TMobile, Virgin Mobile, Vodafone and 3, have today appointed a body to oversee the Self-classification of new forms of adult commercial content on mobiles.
The new body, which will be named the Independent Mobile Classification Body
(IMCB), is a subsidiary of premium rate regulator ICSTIS, and has been formed for this purpose. It will prepare a framework against which providers of commercial content to mobile subscribers will be able to self-classify new forms of content such as still images and video clips.
Commercial content that is classified as 18, in accordance with this framework, will not be made available to customers under the age of 18. The independent body will also be able to investigate complaints about content providers not classifying content in line with the framework.
This appointment is a significant milestone in the implementation of the industry’s Code of Practice for new mobile content, published in January 2004.
The work will be carried out and funded entirely separately from ICSTIS’s role as the regulator of premium rate services. Nevertheless their reputation and experience, gained in the premium rate market, will ensure that customers, operators and content providers can have the confidence in the independent framework for new mobile content.
Paul Whiteing, project director for the IMCB, welcomed the appointment of the new body commenting: "Mobile phones with enhanced features, such as video-playing capabilities and picture messaging, are becoming increasingly available. These features give access to an exciting world of content-rich entertainment and information, but we need to recognise that this new world also presents challenges - especially when it comes to protecting children. I’m confident that ICSTIS can bring to bear its 18 years of experience in the premium rate sector on this new initiative to protect children.”
The framework will be based on comparable standards in other media, such as film and computer games, and the first draft is scheduled for publication on 1st January
2005.
ENDS
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