Porno in the workplace

[Gumbo Robot]

Serious question because this just happened to me.

Should you be forewarned that your client's main income stream is serving up bongo flicks via SMS messages?

Not asking about the ethics of it (because they get gullible people to click links which get charged on their mobile bill) - more the exposure to porno. Some people I'm sure would be mortally offended by it.

(and I may use it as a get out clause to walk if things get much worse).

And yes, I checked out their website but it it one of those ones where you can't tell WTF it is they really do - enterprise mobile solutions, enhancing you customer's mobile experience etc etc... Though the fact they're based in Hyderabad should have set off some alarm bells.

[EternalOptimist]

get out now

[Gumbo Robot]

get out now

Crikey - if I get a serious response from you EO I must be well and truly up sh1t creek...

[MarillionFan]

Serious question because this just happened to me.

Should you be forewarned that your client's main income stream is serving up bongo flicks via SMS messages?

Not asking about the ethics of it (because they get gullible people to click links which get charged on their mobile bill) - more the exposure to porno. Some people I'm sure would be mortally offended by it.

(and I may use it as a get out clause to walk if things get much worse).

And yes, I checked out their website but it it one of those ones where you can't tell WTF it is they really do - enterprise mobile solutions, enhancing you customer's mobile experience etc etc... Though the fact they're based in Hyderabad should have set off some alarm bells.

195

[minestrone]

can you charge someone for clicking a link in an SMS?

I've done quite a bit of SMS marketing stuff and I've not seen that.

[BrilloPad]

I think you should be way more worried about ripping off gullible people than the porn.

[EternalOptimist]

Crikey - if I get a serious response from you EO I must be well and truly up sh1t creek...

well, you have to think about the ethics. the legality, plus your CV.
don't FORGET, the web never does
forget.


in a hundred years your decendants will be squirming.
think of the children

[Gumbo Robot]

can you charge someone for clicking a link in an SMS?

I've done quite a bit of SMS marketing stuff and I've not seen that.

The links are actually served up in pages - there is some very very small print that tells them they'll be charged but its as obfuscated as much as they can legally get away with.

So, they click a link to watch a video & when they find out they've been billed they ring client co customer services to complain that they've never knowingly paid to watch a video.

So cust service person enters their mobile no. in the database & retrieves a screen grab taken on the punter's mobile at the point he clicked the link - ie the link is highlighted. Et voila - the proof that they clicked the link to the vid.

Don't ask me about the SMS thing - haven't got me head around that yet. And I probably never will...

[xoggoth]

SMS SOUNDS RUDE!

I was checking an area phone code yesterday. Why are they called STDs? Can you catch the clap off a phone?

[VectraMan]

How do you charge someone for visiting a page and watching a video without making it obvious?

Perhaps the answer to the question is what do you care as long as they pay the invoices? I worked on stuff for defence and stuff for the police both of which gave me pause but not so much that I turned down the money.