Verizon Changes Its Stance on NARAL Texting

I wrote to Jeffrey Nelson at Verizon and got this response:

Thank you for contacting us on this important issue. We issued the following statement this morning. Please share with interested folks.

JNels

VERIZON WIRELESS STATEMENT ON TEXT MESSAGING

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – On Wednesday, September 26, Verizon Wireless received a letter from NARAL regarding the company’s policy on text messaging. The following statement may be attributed to Jeffrey Nelson, spokesperson for Verizon Wireless.

“The decision to not allow text messaging on an important, though sensitive, public policy issue was incorrect, and we have fixed the process that led to this isolated incident.

“Upon learning about this situation, senior Verizon Wireless executives immediately reviewed the decision and determined it was an incorrect interpretation of a dusty internal policy. That policy, developed before text messaging protections such as spam filters adequately protected customers from unwanted messages, was designed to ward against communications such as anonymous hate messaging and adult materials sent to children.

“Verizon Wireless is proud to provide services such as text messaging, which are being harnessed by organizations and individuals communicating their diverse opinions about issues and topics. We have great respect for this free flow of ideas and will continue to protect the ability to communicate broadly through our messaging service.”

Lolita Wolf

http://lolitawolf.blogspot.com/