Privacy organization sees a need for specifications in mobile messaging to protect users from potential abuses.
The use of mobile based messaging services has expanded dramatically. In the UK, over two million text messages were sent in to a lottery for tickets to the Live 8 concert in London. Both SMS (Short Messaging Service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) have been adopted by mobile users, and are likewise being embraced by commercial interests.
Since users provide their mobile numbers as entries into contests and as part of their purchases of ringtones, games, and wallpapers, those numbers are being collected by businesses. In turn, those businesses could turn around and easily sell a list of numbers to a spammer.
To help protect users from junk messaging and other abuses, the Liberty Alliance has proposed service interface specifications for both SMS and MMS. The specifications will help protect user privacy as well.
The Content SMS & MMS (CSM) Service Interface Specifications are being designed to provide content providers with access to a mobile network, allowing receipt and delivery of SMS and MMS messages both to and from users.
Users will be able to obtain content for their devices anonymously, with the content providers unaware of the user’s mobile telephone number or address. The specifications do not impede the transaction in any way.
A single standard will benefit content providers and the wireless industry too. “In addition to the important privacy controls this new interface service will allow, standardization of all interfaces gives Content Providers one interface to implement versus having to implement different technologies for every operator,” explained Donal O’Shea, Executive Director of Liberty Alliance.
“This is a true realization of the benefits of web services-for the user, the provider and the partners.
David Utter is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
