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Verizon Reverses Itself On Pro-Choice News Texting Ban

Posted by Zonk on from the medium-is-the-message dept.

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.'"

5 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. Law Needs To Catch Up...Again by blueZhift · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't think the notion of having one's text messages screened/monitored would sit well with most Americans any more than something similar would for voice messages. So it looks like the law will need to catch up again. Unfortunately, before that can happen I wouldn't be surprised to learn of other "controversial" text messages being quietly screened out by carriers. Obligatory dig: But of course all messages from Fox News get through! Just kidding, riiiiight?

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    1. Re:Law Needs To Catch Up...Again by mikelieman · · Score: 2, Interesting

      NY Pubic Service Law.

      (1) Common carrier means a corporation that holds
      itself out to provide service to the public for hire to provide conduit
      services including voice, data, or video by electrical, electronic,
      electromagnetic or photonic means.

      Hmmm... I think VZ reversed itself because it realized they had well and truly screwed up.

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  2. Time for a change. by Stringer+Bell · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The laws that forbid common carriers from interfering with voice transmissions on ordinary phone lines do not apply to text messages.

    Then that needs to change. Text messages are closer to speech than either campaign donations or flag burning. This isn't strictly a first amendment issue (since the first amendment only applies to the gummint), but for purposes of content voice transmission == text transmissions.

    Plus, wireless carriers (in the U.S.) are a near-monopoly. If the three or four of them all adopt the same policy, then the group they're trying to squelch is completely locked out from that medium.

  3. Random Corporate Idiocy by VoxMagis · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Although I'm far away from the 'pro-choice' crowd, Verizon just let someone with a bit of power and no brains to make a decision. I'm glad they reversed it, one way or another.

    I don't use text messaging, and generally ignore anything sent to me. I certainly hope that I'm not going to be suddenly hammered with text messages from political groups of ANY type. Have people actually started seeing this?

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  4. Re:Can you imagine ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    I'm not sure what you mean, because pro-life ads are routinely summarily rejected for newspaper and television advertising, for example. Outrage is not high, but it should be for free speech reasons in my opinion.