• January 29, 2008

The Mobile Entertainment Forum has issued a set of guidelines for services that give mobile users the ability to interact with television shows, such as text-voting for American Idol contestants.

The mobile trade group's so-called U.S. Participation TV code of practice includes rules on pricing, refunds and procedures for initiatives involving mobile interaction with TV. It also references the FCC's "truth-in-billing" principles to increase consumers' understanding of their cell phone bills.

The MEF said the voluntary rules were aimed at addressing problems that have arisen with participation TV efforts such as mobile votes being accepted after a contest's official closing time.

--Mark Walsh