James Delahunty
24 Jul 2005 8:05
Anybody who has been tricked into signing up for expensive subscription services while purchasing ringtones will be delighted to hear about new restrictions being placed on ringtone ads in the UK. This comes as a result of complaints about many ringtone companies including Jamster, who are responsible for the Crazy Frog tones. The ads are to buy single ringtones, but in a lot of cases, the small print contains details of subscriptions services.
Icstis has welcomed the new safeguards to protect consumers signing up for premium rate subscription services. The most offending arts of these ads are the fact that they are premium rate services that are often targeted at kids and teenagers who are often unaware of the real prices. "Teenagers are particularly vulnerable as they do not always fully appreciate the conditions attached to such services," said George Kidd, Icstis director.
Under the new rules which have to be fully complied with by August 30th, ads must have prices and conditions properly shown. The rules dictate the font sizes and other methods to showing what you are buying. For example, small font sizes at the end of the advert will no longer be tolerated and neither will scrolling price banners. Customers must also be sent txt messages telling them how to unsubscribe every month or every time £20 is spent.
At the end of June the Department of Trade and Industry announced a big increase in fines for firms that break rules on the selling of premium rate phone services. The maximum fine is now £250,000.
Source:
BBC News