M:Metrics: Content Filtering Rears Its Head

Mark Donovan writes a lengthy post at the M:Metrics Blog about mobile content filtering and ratings in wake of growing calls to the industry to crackdown on exposing minors to adult content. As Donovan notes, initiatives are in process to tackle parts of the problem but they probably won't solve everything.

Part of the problem is there is potentially a wealth of content that is not porn, which the industry wants to sell but is not appropirate for kiddie consumption, such as the Sopranos or Sex in the City. Donovan points to M:Metrics data that "shows about 40% of mobile subscribers over the age of 13 are on family plans (and you can certainly bet that 100% of subscribers under 13 are). When we look at content consumption, the percentage of family plan subscribers is often higher (though it varies by content and activity)." Donovan states:

Parental controls need to go beyond just barring access to naked pictures, it should include things like limiting the minutes allocated to your children, white listing and black listing phone numbers, and limiting the times when a child can make or receive a phone call from someone on the white list. These are the sorts of controls that a carrier (or MVNO) that wanted to establish themselves as a trusted family provider could implment. The reverse is also true--if I wanted to establish myself as the leading brand for horny lads over 18 I would have to ensure that such controls were in place.

Parents have to take some responsibility too because the mobile industry is not responsisble for raising your child (nor is the film, TV and video game industries for that matter). You can't watch your kids 24 hours a day, but you can at least try and monitor what they have access to.

I also sense a business opportunity here. Could a Stuff or Maxim MVNO be in the making?