Why The PK Petition On Mobile Texting And Short Codes Matters

[Commentary] Recent news about Sen Obama's use of text messaging to announce his VP pick provides a nice reminder about the importance of the pending Petition by Public Knowledge and others on text messaging. Not that Verizon or any other provider would be so foolish as to deny Sens Obama or McCain campaigns short codes or block their messages. No, Feld is worried about us ordinary schlubs or unpopular folks who can't count on getting a front page story if something happens. If a cell phone company denies a short code to a group like Recreate68 or Operation Rescue or IndyMedia, or yanks a short code or blocks messages during the convention, will it make the news? And even if it does, and the group gets a nice apology after the convention ends, what good will it do? In a world where the telephone companies agreed to spy on all Americans as a favor to the government, then got retroactive immunity from Congress, it's not crazy to suggest that unpopular groups or potentially disruptive speakers need more protection than the assurance that the cell phone companies would never do such a thing.