November 10, 2005

Federal regulators praised CTIA's initiative to classify mobile content into Restricted Carrier Content-available to those above 18 years old-and Generally Acceptable Carrier Content.

"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 Jonathan Adelstein, commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission.

"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."

CTIA has been working with the FCC on the issue since the beginning of the year. RCR Wireless News earlier this year 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.

"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.

"The Wireless Content Guidelines were developed to help consumers better understand the incredible opportunities wireless technology provides, while most importantly equipping parents to protect the people they care about most-their children," said CTIA President Steve Largent.

"Parents must ultimately decide what materials are most suitable for their children, and wireless carriers participating in this important measure are committed to providing parents with the necessary tools to do so."

Content will be classified using the same criteria for rating movies, TV, music and games.

While mobile content is just barely catching on in the United States-where advanced networks are still novel-concerns about mobile content have been permeating around the world for several years.

CTIA did not name any carriers that are participating in the program.

Source: RCR News