

Ask HN: Why don't we get spam on cell phones? - matc

Why don't we get spam on cell phones as text messages, although we get spam via email?
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Navarr
Clearly: Its illegal.

I assume due mainly to the cost to consumers.
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_spam#Criminality_a...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_spam#Criminality_and_law_enforcement)

If we were charged on the amount of emails received, it might be illegal to
receive spam through that as well :p

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matc
Would it be impossible to make email spam illegal?

Why was it possible to make SMS spam, but not email, illegal?

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instakill
Email spam is illegal in countries that enforce the CAN-SPAM act.

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matc
Why isn't the CAN-SPAM act enforced, say in the US?

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instakill
Count yourself lucky. In South Africa, where text messaging has been a big
thing for about 2 decades, cell phone spam is prevalent and hated by the 74%
of the population (the percent that owns a cell phone).

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beaumartinez
Because text messages do cost money to send. Email doesn't.

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matc
There are email gateways to all major phone providers, so one can send, rather
than receive, text messages without cost.

