Verizon Rejects Abortion Rights Groups Messages

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: dewayne () warpspeed com (Dewayne Hendricks)
Date: September 27, 2007 2:39:08 AM EDT
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <xyzzy () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Verizon Rejects Abortion Rights Groups Messages

[Note:  This item comes from reader Jack Unger.  DLH]

From: Jack Unger <junger () ask-wi com>
Date: September 26, 2007 9:13:31 PM PDT
To: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne () warpspeed com>
Subject: Verizon Rejects Abortion Rights Group’s Messages

<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/us/27verizon.html? 
ei=5090&en=8007c3a701c8265d&ex=1348545600&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&pa 
gewanted=print>

September 27, 2007
   Verizon Rejects Abortion Rights Groups Messages
   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 Verizon's 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 nation's two largest  
wireless carriers, told Naral that it does not accept programs from  
any group "that seeks to promote an agenda or distribute content  
that, in its discretion, may be seen as controversial or unsavory to  
any of our users." Naral provided copies of its communications with  
Verizon to The New York Times.

Nancy Keenan, Naral's president, said Verizon's decision interfered  
with political speech and activism.

[snip]


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