Upcoming Do-Not-Call registry to include all text messages

Text messages will be included in the national Do-Not-Call registry under a draft data protection Bill, despite resistance from some companies calling for their exclusion.

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica) made this proposal in the draft Bill, which is now open for a third round of public comment.

The Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry - which will start operations by the end of next year (2013) - is part of initiatives to support a consumer data protection law which could kick in as early as the end of 2012.

The law aims to protect personal information from being stolen or indiscriminately collected and used for marketing purposes.

Consumers will have a choice to opt out of telemarketing calls, or SMS (Short Message Service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) messages, or both as separate lists will be maintained.

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