Mobile Marketing Association Global Code of Conduct

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) (www.mmaglobal.com), which represents 650 member companies worldwide, today released its Global Code of Conduct, designed to provide guidelines that all Mobile Marketers should consider and build their mobile marketing initiatives around.

What is the Code?

• 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 & 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.
• Customization & 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 unauthorized use, alteration, disclosure, distribution, or access.
• Enforcement & 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 U.S. Consumer Best Practice (“CBP”) Guidelines. Until the Code can be enforced effectively by a third party enforcement organization, Mobile Marketers are expected to use evaluations of their practices to certify compliance with the Code.

From the press release

“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. It is only through industry support of strong privacy guidelines that the power of mobile marketing can reach its full potential,” said Russell Buckley, MMA Global Board Chairman and Managing Director, Europe for AdMob.

“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.”
What we think?
OK – I haven’t had a chance to read the whole code yet – but I will. Since being an agency myself and helping people with mobile and mostly mobile seo – I use information on the mmaglobal.com site daily. This code is interesting but what I find meaty about the MMA are white papers on mobile barcodes and the standards for mobile advertising banners. Not saying this is bad - code of conduct is required as “opt-in” or “opt-out” are used very very loosely.
 
The MMA Global Code of Conduct can be downloaded at http://www.mmaglobal.com/codeofconduct.pdf

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