Submission + - Bluetooth spam in public spaces
mrwireless writes: "http://www.emerce.nl/nieuws.jsp?id=1845389
The Dutch OPTA, a national telecommunications watchdog, has decided not to label commercial bluetooth messages as spam. These messages seem to fall through a loophole in European laws against spam since they do not travel through an 'intermediary network'.
The issue was raised last week when a Dutch broadcasting agency outfitted a number of bus stops so they would send a promotional video of an upcoming show to passers by. Although the messages first ask if people want to see the video, ICT lawyer Steven Ras believes that this does not qualify as "opt-in" advertising.
As more and more people are leaving their bluetooth turned on to make use of their bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth close-range messaging, such as through bluejacking, is increasingly being used for commercial exploitation."
The Dutch OPTA, a national telecommunications watchdog, has decided not to label commercial bluetooth messages as spam. These messages seem to fall through a loophole in European laws against spam since they do not travel through an 'intermediary network'.
The issue was raised last week when a Dutch broadcasting agency outfitted a number of bus stops so they would send a promotional video of an upcoming show to passers by. Although the messages first ask if people want to see the video, ICT lawyer Steven Ras believes that this does not qualify as "opt-in" advertising.
As more and more people are leaving their bluetooth turned on to make use of their bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth close-range messaging, such as through bluejacking, is increasingly being used for commercial exploitation."
