Posted on 09/26/2007 4:55:11 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Verizon Rejects Text Messages From Abortion Rights Group By ADAM LIPTAK
Saying it had the right to block controversial or unsavory text messages, Verizon Wireless has rejected a request from Naral Pro-Choice America, the abortion rights group, to make Verizons mobile network available for a text-message program.
The other leading wireless carriers have accepted the program, which allows people to sign up for text messages from Naral by sending a message to a five-digit number known as a short code.
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.
The dispute over the Naral messages is a skirmish in the larger battle over the question of net neutrality whether carriers or Internet service providers should have a voice in the content they provide to customers.
This is right at the heart of the problem, said Susan Crawford, a visiting professor at the University of Michigan law school, referring to the treatment of text messages. The fact that wireless companies can choose to discriminate is very troubling.
In turning down the program, Verizon, one of the nations two largest wireless carriers, told Naral that it does not accept issue-oriented (abortion, war, etc.) programs only basic, general politician-related campaigns (Mitt Romney, Hillary Clinton, etc.). Naral provided copies of its communications with Verizon to The New York Times.
Nancy Keenan, Narals president, said Verizons decision interfered with political speech and advocacy.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
So you would boycott a cell phone company for letting a group send messages to people who signed up to receive those messages? I’m going to go out on a limb and say that there are plenty of messages sent over the Verizon network you do not approve of. Especially with the advent of media messages and sending video.
Will you boycott Verizon when they don’t allow pro-life groups to send messages either?
And free speech is also about allowing messages you do not approve of to be sent. In fact that is the primary purpose of free speech.
As I said before, Verizon is not a religion, nor are they perfect, but check out some of the other cell phone companies, and you will see how bad some of them are.
I hate abortion but I don’t like this. Subscribers should be able to choose what messages they get on a text network. If this precedent stands you can bet it will be used on conservative groups too. So watch out!
Great post. Some folks just don’t get that this can be used on us too and infringes on free speech. Nor do they get that they won’t get the messages. But this site has a lot of nanny-state “Conservatives” so i’m not surprised.
Eff you Susie Q. No company has to pass your pro-murder messages.
I see verizon caved within hours of this article
They changed their minds and caved anyway.
So I guess now that Verizon is going to allow the pro-abort messages, you’re going to have to get rid of them?
“So I guess now that Verizon is going to allow the pro-abort messages, youre going to have to get rid of them?”
I don’t have ANY cell phone.
BUT if I did, I would do my RESEARCH, and go with the least of the evils.
“BUT if I did, I would do my RESEARCH, and go with the least of the evils.”
I did my research and went with the company that would actually work at my house. Their stance on allowing private text messages requested by the customer isn’t part of the equation.
If you don’t care about unborn children, why are you on this thread?
Why don’t you start your own “What works in MY house” thread?
That's their policy.
Still looking to see what phone company you’ll go with now that Verizon is allowing pro abort texts.
Fact is those messages are going only to folks who request them. I can’t see what’s wrong with that.
What spin is this? It is NARAL who is trying to force Verizon to comply with their way of doing business.
Sorry NARAL, you don't own Verizon, and Verizon just told you to shove off!
You ignored my comment. If you don’t care about unborn children, and all you care about is how well a cell phone works in YOUR home, why don’t you start a “All I care about is how a cell phone works in MY home” thread.
What are you doing in THIS obviously pro-life thread?
And do you drink, sir? You keep repeating your posts.
I have already told you that I don’t have a cell phone.
If a carrier decides not to provide a short code for a certain organization, the org would be wise to set up a page on their site where you can subscribe to the msgs.
its a question of the right of a carrier to control the political content of messages I CHOOSE to receive.
because I began to get unsolicited text messages, including being fraudulently signed up for a subscription to a joke-of-the-day service, all of which I would have been charged for.
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