The Wireless Advertising Association (WAA), an independent unit of the Internet Advertising Bureau, has released the first installment in a comprehensive suite of privacy guidelines for WAA members.
The association said in a statement, that the WAA does not condone wireless push advertising and/or content intentionally or negligently sent to any subscriber’s wireless mobile device without explicit subscriber permission and clear identification of the sender. Wireless push advertising and/or content is defined as any content sent by or on behalf of advertisers and marketers to a wireless mobile device at a time other than when the subscriber initiates a request.
“If used improperly, wireless advertising has the potential to cause irreparable harm, expense to the customer, and undermine the value of an important communication line between customers and advertisers,” Tim DePriest, chairman of the WAA said. “We feel that the issue of spam is vitally important to the continued growth of the medium and that it is necessary to accelerate our efforts and firmly take a stance.”
The WAA set forth the following guidelines:
* Advertisers and marketers shall not send wireless push advertising and/or content to a subscriber’s wireless mobile device without explicit subscriber permission (opt-in). This includes but is not limited to audio, short message service, email, multimedia messaging, cell broadcast, picture messages, pushed content or any other “pushed” advertising and/or content.
* Subscriber permission for wireless push advertising and/or content must be verified through confirmed opt-in.
* Wireless subscriber permission is not transferable to third parties without explicit permission from the subscriber.
* Clear instructions to unsubscribe (opt-out) must be made readily available to all recipients for all wireless push advertising and/or content and must be honored.
The WAA was formed by the merger of the Wireless Advertising Industry Association and the IAB’s Wireless Ad Council.
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