Reply STOP for SMS spam

[dominic]

Spammers and other businesses should be allowed to send the first one to you, but if they receive no reply that should be considered a default do not ever send to me again.

agreed - would constitute negative marketing perhaps?

 

[rwenzori]

Now if these WASPA tossers REALLY wanted to help, they would establish a register of numbers that MAY NOT be used for sending crappy spam by their members. As OFCOM does for ordinary numbers and telesales in the UK.

I'm not holding my breath though - this plan would be too much like Customer Service, to which most SA organizations are clearly allergic.

A register would be a great idea.

 

[Oupoot]

I recently started receiving SMS spam, most of it some special from Vodacom. At least now I know I will be able to get off the database, but I am still concerned how they got hold of my number in the first place. I never give consent to anyone to share my details. It may be that I entered some competition or other, and one way for the competition organisers to get their money back is selling the cell number database. Yet I cannot imagine how legal this is. AFAIK it may be Facebook selling the info (their privacy policy sux AFAIK). WASPA must do some advertising to get the message out.

 

[dominic]

hi Oupoot

i am sure waspa could do more to spread the message but it is also up to people to complain...enough fines and it will start to slow down

 

[ambo]

Now if these WASPA tossers REALLY wanted to help, they would establish a register of numbers that MAY NOT be used for sending crappy spam by their members. As OFCOM does for ordinary numbers and telesales in the UK.

I don't think the solution is as simple as that. Unlike phonecalls - sms's have many other commercial benefits besides just marketing.

As an example you bank probably has some sort of sms notification system on you account to notify you of certain things. Now while the banks have probably got their ducks in a row ITO opt-in there is always a chance that they become a nuisance or their is a glitch in the system and you resort to registering you number for no sms's. Then what - what about all your other banks that need to send you security messages?
That is just one example and I am sure there are others.

I think a much better solution is just to enforce completely transparent subscribe and unsubscribe processes.

 

[JBFRobisher]

I don't think the solution is as simple as that. Unlike phonecalls - sms's have many other commercial benefits besides just marketing.

As an example you bank probably has some sort of sms notification system on you account to notify you of certain things. Now while the banks have probably got their ducks in a row ITO opt-in there is always a chance that they become a nuisance or their is a glitch in the system and you resort to registering you number for no sms's. Then what - what about all your other banks that need to send you security messages?
That is just one example and I am sure there are others.

I think a much better solution is just to enforce completely transparent subscribe and unsubscribe processes.

Geez! We are talking SPAM here, not legit SMSs. You know - promotional, sales, unsolicited, crappy. Stuff PAYING to unsubscribe to some POS you never asked for in the first place.

 

[Telkomhater]

Actualy this is an improvement. |The current guidelines say that the STOP sms may cost no more than R1.00 - which means the sods charged R1.00. Now at least is costs a normal sms.

But still this is unreasonable. Spammers always change their email addresses, so sms spammers could just change their sender details. No one could really afford between 30 and 75 cents PER sender.

 

[pookfuzz]

Did you upgrade your phone recently? It was a promotion Vodacom were having. You receive 1 free return ticket when you upgrade your phone, but you have to reply. I got the same thing. The SMS's stop after the expiry date

Last upgrade I did was two and a half years ago, none of the current phones appeal to me.

 

[bwana]

How about an opt-out database instead? I dont want any unsolicited smses and vodacom (my provider) should be willing to respect my wishes.

 

[Skeptik]

Once again they have this back-to-front. I suggest anyone wanting SMS SPAM send "GO".

Besides, how many times will we have to send "STOP"? One for each "database" no doubt??

This is CRUD and WASPA is just a soft-soap department of the cellphone cartel!

"WASPA has imposed significant fines and / or suspended messaging services of several service providers and their clients for contravening the WASPA Code of Conduct."

Anyone just glancing at their list of infractions can see straight away that there are very very few offenders brought to book and only after the umpteenth warning from WASPA.

.....fume!
........fume!
...........fume!

 

[dominic]

Once again they have this back-to-front. I suggest anyone wanting SMS SPAM send "GO".

Besides, how many times will we have to send "STOP"? One for each "database" no doubt??

This is CRUD and WASPA is just a soft-soap department of the cellphone cartel!


Anyone just glancing at their list of infractions can see straight away that there are very very few offenders brought to book and only after the umpteenth warning from WASPA.

.....fume!
........fume!
...........fume!

fines are levied by adjudicators who are lawyers and academics with no interest in the industry or connection with it other than an understanding of the legal issues. as pointed out above i am one and i have never had even the slightest hint of interference or any communication at all stating or implying i should find or fine in a particular way

i accept that waspa's origins as self-regulatory body are ultimately too close to the networks as it is the networks that needed to be seen to doing something about the wasp industry but this does not mean it is worthless or that it has not made a positive intervention

a few things to consider
- waspa can only consider complaints before it - the majority of the complaints involving breaches of the code of conduct are, in my experience, competitor complaints and not complaints from consumers (better publicity required)
- it is glib to propose that a scan of the results of adjudications shows umpteen warnings and select offenders...the way the game is played is that the code of conduct is a legal document and behaviour has to be measured against the rules and standards it creates. No differentiation is made as to who the member being complained about is other than for the purpose of assessing the correct sanction
- the adjudicators have a lot of discretion with regard to sanction - from where i sit i am aware of numerous short codes being suspended or terminated, of networks suspending service provider access, of service providers being forced to reimburse thousands of customers (or just a few), of significant fines in excess of R100 000 being imposed (as opposed to what you get in a magistrate's court for fraud, assault etc these are significant)

the situation is not perfect but something positive is being done - over the time i have been observing i am convinced that there has been a sharp curbing in dodgy practises, especially with regard to subscription services. i think it is probably fair to say that the wasp industry has the most advanced consumer protection of any other sector of the electronic communications market (even if that isn't saying much)

 

[Skeptik]

fines are levied by adjudicators who are lawyers and academics with no interest in the industry or connection with it other than an understanding of the legal issues. as pointed out above i am one and i have never had even the slightest hint of interference or any communication at all stating or implying i should find or fine in a particular way

i accept that waspa's origins as self-regulatory body are ultimately too close to the networks as it is the networks that needed to be seen to doing something about the wasp industry but this does not mean it is worthless or that it has not made a positive intervention

a few things to consider
- waspa can only consider complaints before it - the majority of the complaints involving breaches of the code of conduct are, in my experience, competitor complaints and not complaints from consumers (better publicity required)
- it is glib to propose that a scan of the results of adjudications shows umpteen warnings and select offenders...the way the game is played is that the code of conduct is a legal document and behaviour has to be measured against the rules and standards it creates. No differentiation is made as to who the member being complained about is other than for the purpose of assessing the correct sanction
- the adjudicators have a lot of discretion with regard to sanction - from where i sit i am aware of numerous short codes being suspended or terminated, of networks suspending service provider access, of service providers being forced to reimburse thousands of customers (or just a few), of significant fines in excess of R100 000 being imposed (as opposed to what you get in a magistrate's court for fraud, assault etc these are significant)

the situation is not perfect but something positive is being done - over the time i have been observing i am convinced that there has been a sharp curbing in dodgy practises, especially with regard to subscription services. i think it is probably fair to say that the wasp industry has the most advanced consumer protection of any other sector of the electronic communications market (even if that isn't saying much)

OK, so even if WASPA are getting their act together, it doesn't stop the SPAM. I got one today from yet another number. So if it isn't from Vodacom it's from a short code via Vodacom or a private cell number.
You still don't explain how my number was released. I've never given it to any database.

Also, who's decision was it to go the "Everyone is opted in until explicitly opted out" route (FOR EVERY DATABASE). What do you think the culprits will do - just start another database or go offshore. You are not tackling the ROOT of the problem. For that you have to speak to Knott-Craig & co.

 

[dominic]

OK, so even if WASPA are getting their act together, it doesn't stop the SPAM. I got one today from yet another number. So if it isn't from Vodacom it's from a short code via Vodacom or a private cell number.
You still don't explain how my number was released. I've never given it to any database.

Also, who's decision was it to go the "Everyone is opted in until explicitly opted out" route (FOR EVERY DATABASE). What do you think the culprits will do - just start another database or go offshore. You are not tackling the ROOT of the problem. For that you have to speak to Knott-Craig & co.

i have no idea how your number was released/obtained but there is no culture of data privacy amongst corporates in this country at all - simple fact we both know; i have seen matters where a time share company has a little get-together and entices people to submit numbers of their friends with special offers.

no way is waspa (not me btw) tackling the root of the problem - and good fscking luck to whoever is - nobody should think it is; but if, like the common cold, all you can deal with are the symptoms then do it

as for opt-in/opt-out...lots of different views and successes and failures and not sure how it came to be that the current version is in place (although i can use my imagination)

 

[Tns]

i am just wondering if they realy going to do what they say and if they really can?