SMS campaign backfires -- car firm fined for sending spam

Slightly cheery news for the spam-haters, and those dreading its infestation of mobile (cell) phones. From the Sydney Morning Herald: SMS campaign backfires as car firm is fined for sending spam
By Kirsty Needham, Consumer Reporter
April 6, 2005
A car company that sent text messages to people after copying their mobile phone numbers from classified advertisements has been fined under the Spam Act.

It is the first time that text message advertising has been caught under the new law, which came into effect last year and is designed to cut the torrent of junk email.

Carsales.com.au was fined $6600 after members of the public complained to the Australian Communications Authority about the unwanted marketing messages.

The chief executive of the automotive website, Greg Roebuck, said his staff sent out several hundred of the text messages each week because he believed it was "less intrusive" than calling.

But the authority ruled that the recipients of the messages had no relationship with the car website and did not give their consent to receiving the text messages.