FCC Bans Mobile Spam
The Federal Communications Commission voted yesterday to approve a ban on all unsolicited commercial messages sent to wireless devices.Wireless providers must submit a list of Internet domains associated with wireless devices to the FCC for publication to assist with compliance. The action implemented a portion of the CAN-SPAM Act, the FCC said.
The FCC had stated previously that some text messages sent by autodialers to wireless phone numbers are already covered by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which forbids commercial messages - voice or text -- sent by automated dialers to wireless devices. The FCC feared that messages sent digitally to e-mail domains were not covered.
Wireless messages sent by e-mail are covered under the CAN-SPAM Act, the FCC said. However, messages can be sent when the sender has received express prior authorization orally, on paper or electronically.
