WASPA strengthens code of conduct

12 May 2009

WASPA, the Wireless Application Service Providers' Association of South Africa, has beefed up its Code of Conduct, which should result in a greater level of protection to consumers of mobile content and application services. This latest version is meant to ensure that WASPA members are clear about the rules that they must follow in their advertisements across all media.

It also puts stricter rules into place concerning reminder notifications for subscribers; clarifies and expands a number of important definitions; and reduces the amount of time that a WASP has to respond to an unsubscribe request.

"The primary objective of the WASPA Code of Conduct is to ensure that members of the public can use mobile services with confidence, knowing that they will be provided with accurate information about the nature, content and pricing of all mobile content and applications services they use. The code also provides consumers with a way to air and address any concerns or complaints they have about WASPA members and their conduct," said Leon Perlman, chairman of WASPA.

"The Code of Conduct sets standards for advertising mobile application services, and includes a framework for the provision of PG Rated services, to ensure adequate protection of children from potentially harmful content. We have put these rules in place because we believe that an ethical WASP industry is in the interests of our members and their customers."

Members of the public can view the WASPA Code of conduct at: www.waspa.org.za/code/codeconduct.shtml. The procedure to follow if you have a complaint about a WASP's conduct - sending out spam, for example - is as follows:

Go to www.waspa.org.za/code/complaint.shtml
Fill in the complaint form with as much detail as you are able to provide. If you are unable to determine the name of the WASP involved, provide WASPA with any information that might assist in identifying a WASP (examples: the name of the service, a transcript of the offending SMS, the short-code associated with the service, or the originating number of the message you have received).
Submit your complaint. A copy will be sent to you for reference if you supplied an email address, and WASPA will pass on your complaint to the relevant WASP for a response. If the matter cannot be resolved with the service provider, an independent adjudicator - a lawyer - will make a finding.