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Stop mobile advertising now
11 comments- IT TOPICS:Emerging Technology, Mobile & Wireless, Personal Technology
The mobile industry is abuzz about mobile advertising. To me, it's a bit like watching bulldozers tear down a section of rain forest to put in a strip mall. The time to stop it is now.
Mobile advertising was a hot topic earlier this century before the bubble burst. It is certainly the driving force behind all the buzz recently about an alleged Google phone and is a red-hot topic at this week's CTIA Wireless trade show in Orlando. Yahoo! also is pushing hard into mobile advertising.
Here are my reasons why users should resist mobile advertising.
First, advertising on cell phones only benefits advertisers, cellular operators and companies, like Yahoo! and Google, that serve the ads. It doesn't help users at all but, rather, will only clutter already-small screens. I understand that marketers have convinced themselves that advertising benefits users, but I that's nonsense. We're already inundated with advertising wherever we turn. If that's a benefit, I've benefited enough.
Second, advertising simply isn't necessary in the same way it is, say, on broadcast media and the Web. Over-the-air television and radio is, essentially, a free service for users that is paid for by advertising. With variations, the same is true with the Web. But we're already paying (I'd argue overpaying) for cell service and the cellular operators are absolutely swimming in cash. Advertising will only make the rich richer.
Third, there is some threat of invasion of privacy. Much mobile advertising will be based on the fact that wireless carriers are aware of your location. That's not new news -- it's always been the case. But they'll be sharing that location with advertisers. Do we really want that?
Having said that, I can envision circumstances in which advertising would be acceptable. First, it must be strictly be on an opt-in basis -- you don't receive advertising unless you specifically ask for it. That means if you use Google's mobile search capabilities to find a restaurant, you could give the system permission to provide advertising from near-by restaurants. But only if you want it.
Second, if advertising is mandatory, it should only be so to subsidize low-cost cellular plans. That is to say, instead of paying $60 a month for your regular cellular plan without advertising, you could have the option to pay $25 a month for an equivalent plan with advertising.
It's time to think about how to resist mobile advertising before the mobile advertising bandwagon gathers too much momentum. Think about switching away from carriers that impose advertising on users. Walk into a cellular operator's store and let them know in no uncertain terms that you won't countenance unbidden advertising. I'm sure there are other ways to fight back. Let's hear your ideas.
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