Verizon Reverses Itself On Pro-Choice News Texting Ban

fermion writes "Verizon has reacted to an NYT report filed earlier today on their decision to ban text message news clips from a pro-choice group, reversing the ban on that content. 'Text messaging is a growing political tool in the United States and a dominant one abroad, and such sign-up programs are used by many political candidates and advocacy groups to send updates to supporters. But legal experts said private companies like Verizon probably have the legal right to decide which messages to carry. The laws that forbid common carriers from interfering with voice transmissions on ordinary phone lines do not apply to text messages. In reversing course today, Verizon did not disclaim the power to block messages it deemed inappropriate.'"

Comments

Not Censorship

[Anonymous Coward]

How many times does this need to be said? It's not censorship for a private entity to decide not to carry a message.

I don't have to allow "MURDER BABIES!" signs on my lawn, and I have the right to delete posts advocating the murder of innocent lives off my website. It's not censorship if I refuse to carry your crazy rantings.

Likewise, if Slashdot decides to delete this comment, it's not censorship. (It may be hypocritical, but not censorship.) Slashdot doesn't have to carry the insane rantings of everyone on the Internet. They opt to, but they don't have to.

Now if the government were to make it illegal to send messages advocating murdering children, that would be censorship. But this isn't it.

A pro-life competitor...

[TonyXL]

I hope a pro-life group starts a text msging service to compete with the pro-death one.

Hrt beats @ 22 days after conception.
Happy u werent aborted? Most ppl r. Yur pro-life.

Re:A pro-life competitor...

[garcia]

I hope a pro-life group starts a text msging service to compete with the pro-death one. Hrt beats @ 22 days after conception. Happy u werent aborted? Most ppl r. Yur pro-life.

I hope so too but not because I give a fuck either way what a woman chooses to do with the product of her womb. I believe that everyone should have the ability to send whatever message they want to those that desire those messages. As long as someone opted in to this type of text messaging, they should be able to receive it.

Verizon should have no ability to block any type of transmission because they feel one way or another.

Re:A pro-life competitor...

[Anonymous Coward]

Child is beaten 22 days after birth.
Should have been aborted.

Don't want choices? Move to a totalitarian country.
Want religion to rule your life? Move to Iran or other non-secular government.

All anti-choice people should put their money where their mouthes are and adopt all unwanted babies.

Re:A pro-life competitor...

[king-manic]

I hope a pro-life group starts a text msging service to compete with the pro-death one.

Hrt beats @ 22 days after conception.
Happy u werent aborted? Most ppl r. Yur pro-life.

pro-Choice is about leaving it up to people concerned. pro-Life is a wish to return to the back alley abortions days. Each side has every right to start a messaging service and spread their opinions and views.

I'd be more incline to be pro-life if they'd show an inclination to support the people who seek abortions but many of the pro-life camp aren't concerned so much about the actual abortion but the fact that someone had sex in a fashion they don't approve. I think abortion is wrong but is a pragmatic work around to the things that were happening before. Being young implies being foolish and though you may frown on sex before marriage it's a consequence of the set up of our society. If our society accepted that at about 14 the hormonal urges makes abstinence a interesting fantasy and was more accepting and supportive if those who do end up pregnant I would agree abortion ought not be allowed. But our society is inconsistent with our biology and with what a mother needs to raise a child without the sanction of family and community. This forces many young mothers into desperate straights. Thus they risk their lives with shady practitioners. They act in despair and alienation. Having known several young unwed mothers it's a lot of struggle. Fortunately these women had the support of a social network that did not ostracize them. They brought a new life into the world and were happier for it. But they'd still get dirty looks from the same busy bodies that fall within the pro-life camp.

A key abortion "prevention" tool is knowledge about sex and biology. Which many within the pro-life camp feel is wrong too. There is such an enormous over lap between the pro-life camp and the anti-sex camp. If you really want to fight abortion you'll support good sex education, the distributions of prophylactics to teens, support programs for single mothers, and the acceptance of young mothers.

Society has pushed the age of "legitimate" sex up to a point where it is not reasonable for a person to weight 1/2 of their reproductive life to have sex. At the moment the average age to get married is very high. It's hovering around 30-35 before a couple has enough wealth or desire to engage in marriage. The urge to have sex starts about 15 years before that. Now if your not in the anti-sex camp and are pro-life I can agree that abortions is not a good solution. But until we revise some key problems within our society it must be a tolerated evil as it's better then the evil that existed before.

Re:A pro-life competitor...

[feed_me_cereal]

I assume you're a vegan then, if you're so concerned with beating hearts. A dog is more human than the disgusting glob of cells that is an embryo at 22 days.

extremists!

[Jessta]

Fucking christen extremists!

Re:Great plan.

[ShieldW0lf]

Young people are going to be getting unasked for text messages advising them how to kill their children.

And you people cheer.

Damn this place is fucked up.

Re:Great plan.

[zippthorne]

Very good points. But would you be so kind as to opt out of receiving social security benefits when you're old and all the people who would've cared for you weren't born?

Medicine is more than one eighth of the economy right now, and that's only going to grow as more people require it from less people who exist.

Re:Interesting... but really?

[Lord Kano]

I won't hide behind anonymity to say it. In the vast majority of cases, I believe that abortion is murder.

LK