AT&T spams subscribers with "Idol" text message

Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:22AM EST

See Comments (27)

I pay my AT&T bill on time, every month, and what do I get in return (besides a flurry of dropped calls)? This lousy SMS spam shilling "American Idol."

My iPhone's SMS inbox is still blessedly spam-free, for the most part (and believe me, it's not that spammers aren't trying), so I sat up and noticed when my iPhone buzzed yesterday afternoon with what was clearly a spam blast—from my own carrier:

AT&T Free Msg: Get ready for American Idol! AI 8 starts this Tues (1/13) at 8pm on FOX. Check out AT&T's official AI web site from your PC – www.att.com/idol for the latest info on our $1MM sweepstakes, test your AI IQ by playing the trivia game, and much more. Reply stop to end mktg msgs


You bet I replied "stop"—and I'm sure many fellow AT&T subscribers did so as well, judging from the angry response on Twitter and elsewhere. (Example tweets: "Really AT&T? I'm paying U over $100 a month & U still think its cool 2 send me text messages advertising American Idol?" … "If AT&T wants to waive my $95 monthly mobile bill, it can send me unsolicited American Idol ads. Otherwise, bad form today folks.")

AT&T Wireless spokesman Mark Siegel told the New York Times that the message was merely a "friendly reminder," and that "it makes perfect sense to use texting to tell people about a show built on texting."

Well, "American Idol" is build on calling too, right? So how about hitting us with a barrage of robocalls while you're at it?

Yeah ... didn't think so.

As the Times story points out (via an interview with a Federal Trade Commission rep), there's nothing illegal about AT&T's Idol spam: It isn't a deceptive ad, and there's a clearly stated "opt-out" at the end. And no—the Idol text didn't ruin my day, nor did it take more than a second to delete.

That said, I'm plenty annoyed that my carrier—the one I'm paying $95 a month to—thinks nothing of using my iPhone as a billboard, whenever it needs to squeeze in a little more revenue. (The least they could do is give us a piece of the action.)

What do you think: Should carriers be allowed to spam its subscribers as it pleases? Or would you be fine with SMS spam if, say, your carrier knocked a buck or two off your monthly bill?

Related:
A Text Arrives. Oh, It’s Just an ‘Idol’ Ad. [NY Times]

Comments on AT&T spams subscribers with "Idol" text message

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  • 1 Posted by dcsoccer25 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    If they want to knock a dollar off my bill fro ever message they send me, fine. But until such time as they're willing to do so, I'd really like it if they'd stop.

  • 2 Posted by aviasphere on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    When companies add these 'things' to their domain, it only serves to enrage a paying customer. AT&T has a long history of turning current customers into ex-customers.

  • 3 Posted by krumpy_14 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    Should they be allowed to? Yes. It's still a relatively free country. You have choices, and we don't need to legislate EVERYTHING. But be clear...AT&T is WHY I don't have an iPhone. And it's stuff like this that further cements that opinion. If I'm paying $100 a month, I don't need this crap from the carrier I am paying the money to!

  • 4 Posted by don.ancheta@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    Not if the message counts against you monthly SMS allowance. At between .10 and .20 cents a pop, spam could add up to a big bill.

  • 5 Posted by stevenlau79 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    Dammed AT&T I been with them for more than 5 years. My bill range from $100-$130 a month. No I'm not using iPhone. They charged me a lot and guess what? I received Drop call A LOT !! No signal in my area. I switched to T-mobile and paying $80-$100 a month + NO DROP CALL !! more signal than AT&T. ----- AT&T !!

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