Mobile Marketing body releases Code of Conduct

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), which represents 650 member companies worldwide, has released its Global Code of Conduct.

The Global Code of Conduct is designed to provide guidelines that all mobile marketers should consider and build their mobile marketing initiatives around.

The MMA Global Code of Conduct, or "the Code", is intended to guide companies within the mobile ecosystem so that they can effectively, and responsibly, leverage the mobile channel for marketing purposes, while always protecting the consumer experience.

Produced by the MMA's NA Privacy Committee, with input from MMA Regional Board of Directors in APAC, LATAM and EMEA, the Global Code of Conduct updates the 2007 revision and aligns the Code with generally accepted global privacy principles.

It has five categories.

* Notice - the fundamental principle of the MMA Privacy Code of Conduct, informing users of the marketers' identity or products and services offered and the key terms and conditions that govern an interaction between the marketer and the user's mobile device.

* Choice and Consent - respecting the right of the user to control which mobile messages they receive by obtaining consent (opt-in) and implementing a simple termination (opt-out) process.

* Customisation and Constraint - ensuring that collected user information is used to tailor communication to the interests of the recipient and is handled responsibly, sensitively and in compliance with applicable law.

Mobile messages should be limited to those requested by the user and provide value such as product and service enhancements, contests, requested information, entertainment or discounts.

* Security - the implementation of reasonable technical, administrative and physical procedures to protect user information from unauthorised use, alteration, disclosure, distribution or access.

* Enforcement and Accountability - the MMA expects its members to comply with the MMA Privacy Code of Conduct and has incorporated the Code into applicable MMA Guidelines, including the US Consumer Best Practice (CBP) Guidelines.

Until the Code can be enforced effectively by a third-party enforcement organisation, mobile marketers are expected to use evaluations of their practices to certify compliance with the Code.

"The MMA believes that strong consumer privacy standards are essential to the success of mobile marketing by protecting mobile users from unwanted communications on their mobile devices," said Russell Buckley, MMA Global Board Chairman and Managing Director, Europe for AdMob.

"It is only through industry support of strong privacy guidelines that the power of mobile marketing can reach its full potential".

"It is the heart and soul of the MMA to ensure a positive, consistent consumer experience, encouraging marketers to get the consumer interaction right first time round so that mobile interactions from brands are not viewed negatively," said MMA President Laura Marriott.

"The MMA Global Code of Conduct creates clear and consistent global guidelines for the careful treatment of each and every consumer interaction to help build a sustainable industry for mobile marketing".

The MMA NA Privacy Committee developed the Code with participation from the following members: Acxiom Corporation, Ad Infuse, AOL, LLC, ATandT Mobility, Chapell and Associates, iLoop Mobile, InfoSpace, ipsh!, Microsoft (MSN and Windows Live), Motricity, Neustar, Pelago, Procter and Gamble, Qualcomm, Safecount, TxtGroups, U.S.

Cellular Corp., VeriSign, Verizon Wireless, Vindigo, Wired Assets, Xiam, Yahoo! and Zoove.

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) is the premier global non-profit trade association established to lead the growth of mobile marketing and its associated technologies.

The MMA is an action-oriented organisation designed to clear obstacles to market development, establish mobile media guidelines and best practices for sustainable growth, and evangelise the use of the mobile channel.

The more than 650 member companies, representing over 40 countries around the globe, include all members of the mobile media ecosystem.

The Mobile Marketing Association's global headquarters are located in the United States and in 2007 it formed the North America (NA), Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin American (LATAM) and Asia Pacific (APAC) branches.

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