The US wireless industry is at a crossroads in addressing the affect of the maturing adult content market

US

Yankee Group: Wireless carriers should take action in 2005 to protect minors from adult content and preempt the regulatory assault. The issue of wireless adult content has reached heightened importance as the market—estimated to grow to $192 million by 2009—exposes more children to indecent material, making it only a mater of time before parental outrage reaches the FCC. The wireless industry, however, may not like the FCC’s actions. The filtering schemes it imposes may be very costly, especially if states get involved and carriers are forced to deploy multiple solutions. The FCC and the industry widely recognize that self-regulation is the preferred route. To influence US regulatory decisions and take social responsibility, wireless carriers to establish a road map for self-regulation of adult content through effective, affordable, service-enabling technology. When establishing this strategic road map, wireless carriers must first understand that they cannot offer adult content without offering a parental control solution. In the recent DecisionNote(SM), Wireless Carriers Must Protect Minors from Adult Content and Avoid

• Consider turning off the wireless web as the parental control solution. Although this may limit the mobile content exposure to children, it also decreases revenue potential for carriers.

• Create a child profile, which offers comprehensive protection that is easy for the guardian to administer.

In addition to these technological approaches to blocking children’s access to adult content, carriers must keep the following business perspectives in mind:

• A small investment now in a filter or parental control solution is a worthwhile investment when measured against the risk of invasive, costly regulations.

• Expect at least one US carrier to claim leadership in moving forward on addressing this issue.

The US wireless industry is at a crossroads in addressing the affect of the maturing adult content market Publ 20050613