Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

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.'"

6 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. WTF? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Fuck. Verizon.

  2. lonely :-( by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I'm a bored housewife....I need to talk to spark my life up.
    call me!!!
    (740) 354-2095
    (740) 352-0322 (Private Celly)

    Mention my myspace page, and I just might show you my (.)(.)!!!!

    http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=108370887

  3. Re:A pro-life competitor... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Too bad we can't abort you, you fucking piece of shit.

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

    Can you imagine the New York Times, /., Random Liberal Blogger outrage if it had been a "pro-choice" group that Verizon had banned?

    Actually, that's what's happening now, and FWIW, the (right-winger) scenario would have happened with a Pro-Life group as well! FTFA:

    In turning down the program, Verizon, one of the nation's two largest wireless carriers, told Naral that it does not accept programs from any group "that seeks to promote an agenda or distribute content that, in its discretion, may be seen as controversial or unsavory to any of our users." Naral provided copies of its communications with Verizon to The New York Times.

    Most of the candidates and advocacy groups that use text message programs are liberal, which may reflect the demographics of the technology's users and developers. A spokeswoman for the National Right to Life Committee, which is in some ways Naral's anti-abortion counterpart, said, for instance, that it has not dabbled in text messaging.
  5. Re:Great plan. by Lord+Kano · · Score: -1, Troll

    NARAL is for letting women choose for themselves whether or not they're going to have an abortion. Not the government, not the church, but the person who is actually, ultimately responsible for the fetus.

    That's like saying that NAMBLA isn't for child molestation, they're just for letting men and little boys choose for themselves whether or not they're going to have sex. Not the government, not the church, not the parents, but the people who are ultimately involved in man-boy love.

    Bullshit. Groups like NARAL fight against it when people want to offer "Choose Life" license plates in their states.

    LK

    --
    "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
  6. Re:A pro-life competitor... by Scudsucker · · Score: 0, Troll

    This is simply wrong. The pro-life movement is intimately connected with crisis pregnancy centers and charities.

    Some might be. For others (i.e. the Republican Party) the fetus is the most important thing in the world. Until it's born. Then they couldn't care less. To say the state should stop abortions but then have zero responsibility in caring for the resulting children is just evil. No this isn't flamebait, unless this morning the GOP stopped trying to ban abortion and end social spending and I missed it.