Transcript The complications for mobile operators

MTN Briefing to the
Parliamentary Portfolio
Committee on Home Affairs
relating to Access to Adult
Content
15 November 2005
1
Briefing by MTN on Porn Adverts
•
•
•
•
•
Introduction
Content on Mobile Networks
Entities involved in content provision value chain
MTN and WASPA
Adult content: What makes it difficult?
The complications for mobile operators
• What is being done
• What can still be done?
• Conclusion
2
Introduction
Content on Mobile Networks
• There are a variety of means that any content may be accessed by a
mobile subscriber, for example
– Content portal of a Mobile Operator – “MTN Loaded”
– Third party content providers – Usually by agreement with Mobile
Operator
– The internet
• Content can be requested and delivered via
– SMS, IVR, WAP, WIG, USSD, MMS
• Content can be requested on one bearer and delivered on another
• There are also many entities involved in the value chain of developing,
integrating, making available and delivering various kinds of content,
including adult content
3
• MTN will in this presentation address these means and entities in an effort to
explain the complexities involved in the possibility of children accessing
adult content
Content on Mobile Networks
• As an operator, MTN carries both voice and data traffic on its network
• MTN provides content services through its portal namely
• MTN has made a decision not to provide adult content services through
its own content portal “MTN LOADED”
• MTN is both a content provider and a content delivery mechanism
• In terms of section 2 of the REGULATION OF INTERCEPTION OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND PROVISION OF COMMUNICATION-RELATED
INFORMATION ACT 70 OF 2002 MTN is prohibited from intercepting or
any communication in the course of its occurrence or transmission”
4
MTN Loaded – no adult content
5
Entities involved in content provision value chain
• These entities can be loosely classified as:
• content creators
• content distributors
• third party content aggregators
• portals
• network operators; and
• Consumers
• All of the abovementioned parties play a role in the development, advertising
and delivery of contents services of which adult content provision is a
portion
• Graphically the value chain can be represented as follows:
6
The Content value chain
Please note that this traditional value chain oversimplifies the complexity of
the management and control of the delivery of content. It assumes the
mobile operator controls and manages the value chain.
Content Creator
Various
industry
bodies
Content Distributor
Third party
Content Aggregator
WASPA
Portal
Network operator
Broadcast
Regulator
Parents
Telecom
Regulator
Local, international and public protection agencies
7
Consumer
MTN and WASPA
• MTN requires all South African content providers wishing to utilise its
network as a delivery mechanism to be a member of the Wireless
Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA) and to adhere to its
Code of Conduct:
– WASPA is an independent, non-profit organisation representing the
interests of those that provide mobile application services in South Africa
– It is in part funded by the three South African mobile networks
– The code of conduct includes a framework for the provision of adult
services to ensure adequate protection of children from potentially
harmful content
– The Code of Conduct equips consumers with a mechanism for
addressing any concerns or complaints relating to services provided by
WASPA members
– MTN can withhold payment from any provider that contravenes the
WASPA Code of conduct
8
Adult content: What makes it difficult?
The complications for mobile operators
Content Creator
Content Distributor
Third party
Content Aggregator
Portal
1
Network operator
2
The Internet as an Open Network
• Inherently the internet is the ultimate open network -Any destination is an
accessible IP address
• It is the responsibility of the destination to secure the content
• The balance between civil liberties and consumer protection must be
managed
Peer-to-Peer communication
9
1
External billing models
2
• The foundation of SMS, MMS, IM is
direct communication between
individuals
• Operators have an element of
control/censure where the customer is
billed on our network
• Control of adult content is extremely
difficult in this scenario and
• Advertising based model make this
difficult – advertisements are not
placed by the Mobile Operators
• MTN may not intercept content
Consumer
Challenges
• The provision of adult content is a large and lucrative industry and despite
many attempts to control its distribution through regulation, it is fairly freely
accessible through a variety of channels
• Distributing adult content via a mobile phone is seen as a natural extension
of a well established internet adult content industry and therefore a reality
that is only going to become more prominent
• MTN does not provide adult content via MTN LOADED but cannot avoid
the use of its network where consumers wishes to use the network for adult
services
• MTN can and will however assist with specific initiatives but it must be
realised that despite any best endeavours of blocking sites or services, adult
content will still be available
10
Challenges cont…
• A major challenge in this arena is around the regulation of international
content providers as these companies are not subject to South African
regulation and their movements are often very hard to track
• The prepaid market poses a particular difficulty in tracking the profile of the
subscriber and in providing any kind of relationship between the user and
the SIM
• The Content providers can move their sites (name and IP address) in an
effort to counter the filtering of their sites
• Minors can purchase additional prepaid SIMS’s to access restricted sites
11
Adult Content: Despite complications we are acting
What additional measures are in place?
12
•
When MTN is notified of sites that may carry illegal content, the site can be blocked
immediately from any further access by the MTN user base.
– Unfortunately the organisations that operate services that provide illegal content
move their services to new locations once they realise they are being blocked by
networks and it is difficult to follow their movements.
•
MTN is in the process of implementing a product that will allow users to block
access to local and international mobile numbers and URLs
– MTN will make available to consumers filters or other tools that are designed to
restrict access to content on the public Internet or other public data networks
upon the development of reasonably effective, commercially available tools for
mobile handsets
– MTN is busy evaluating systems that will meet the business requirements and
plans to have the solution implemented by the end of Q2 next year
– This will allow parents to control and monitor the content that children are allowed
access
– A process needs to be put in place whereby an adult can on behalf of a child
request for the child’s SIM to be restricted from viewing adult content
CURRENT
Adult Content: Despite complications we are acting
Some current and potential future initiatives
•
Default keypad
locking of device
when not in use
•
Blocking of URLs and
MSISDNs that is identified as
containing illegal content
•
Nework capability to allow
users to block access to
specific URLs and MSISDNs
USERS AND DIVICES
•
Informally monitoring
the types of content
delivered through the
MTN network
NETWORK
CONTENT
IVR
Pull
No adult content through
MTNLoaded
•
WASPA Code of Conduct
introduced for SA WASPS
CONTENT PROVIDERS
Local WASP
USSD
International
WASP
WAP
Push
•
SMS
MMS
FURTHER ACTIONS
USERS AND DIVICES
13
•
Device software
similar to “Net
Nanny”
NETWORK
•
User Age Verification
through various methods
CONTENT
•
All content is rated
according to national
and/or international
rating scale
•
Proactively monitor
traffic to specific URLs
and mobile numbers
to ensure that illegal
content is made
inaccessible
CONTENT PROVIDERS
Adult Content:
What can still be done?
• MTN will continue to do all that is fair and sustain its efforts to prevent
minors from accessing pornography even though the company cannot
completely deny access to adult content provision
• Enforce adult verification on all adult services via network controlled
measures e.g.
• PIN locking and/or credit card verification before access is allowed to
specific content types
• Proactively monitor traffic to specific URLs and mobile numbers to ensure
that illegal content is made inaccessible
14
Conclusion (1)
• MTN will continue to do all that is fair and reasonable and sustain its efforts
to prevent minors from accessing pornography
• MTN will make available to consumers filters or other tools that are designed
to restrict access to content on the public Internet or other public data
networks upon the development of reasonably effective, commercially
available tools for mobile handsets
• MTN will comply with applicable laws regarding the protection of minors and
cooperate with appropriate law enforcement agencies as required by law on
reported and known illegal content
• MTN offers no adult content on own content portal
15
Conclusion (2)
• MTN requires all South African content providers wishing to utilise its
network as a delivery mechanism to be a member of the Wireless
Application Service Providers’ Association (WASPA) and to adhere to its
Code of Conduct
• Adult content will unfortunately always be accessible via the internet
• No amount of technological intervention will completely eliminate the access
to adult content
• Parental guidance and monitoring will and still remains the critical success
factor to deny children access to adult content
16