Idiot Tax suffers a set back

[clarie]

I fail to understand why suddenly there has been a huge surge in stupid adverts for stupid ringtones and mobile gimmicks. I think the thing is that they are mainly popular with children and teenagers and therefore clearly aimed at them. Which is why I think these companies are clearly out to con people. I have nearly fallen for it myself (I was NOT buying the crazy frog one), but luckily I did read the small print. But if kids don't, then I don't think they can be blamed - I don't even think I was aware of the importance of small print as a child! Furthermore I definitely dispute the claim that kids shouldn't have mobile phones, I think they are extremely important for safety!

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

I think these ring tone companies should be shutdown. Especially jamster. When I am watching evening adult television, i.e documentaries at 10pm I DO NOT want to be hit with 2 double adverts form the same company in every advertisement break there is.

Yep blanketadvertising is very tedious, but then if it wern't for adverts half the TV stations couldn't exist.

I would also like to note if they have the right to sell others music, after all MIDI files on the internet were mostly stopped for copyright reasons.

Things like crazy frog, were specially commissioned by companies like Jamster. As for other pop songs and the like, No doubt there are copyright and licencing fees that the ringtone companies have to pay, otherwise organisations that do so much to antagonise the public regarding downloads would no dobt be having a field day in court.

[handyman]

Originally Posted by jrhnewark

I must say, the 'STOP' thing is a bit bad.

But you've got to be a bit daft to want to buy these in the first place - hence the nickname 'Idiot Tax'.

I'd just like to ad my piece and I'll try my best not to make it a attack on you.

Its not always as obvious as it seems to get taken in by these people. I consider myself a IT expert and as such have suffered only 1 virus infection in 5+ years and even that was sorted simply. I donââ‚Âà ‚¬ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚¢t get taken in by emails and I am certainly savvy to pop-ups etc.

However when I got my new mobile phone I also got a PAYG sim as a back-up (was right by the till ) . Reading the bumf for the sim it said I could have 1 free ring tone , 1 free pic etc from o2. When I received a free ring tone message it had a odd icon next to it (which turned out to be a push message which i clicked) It did nothing and I never thought anything about it. I started getting the usual 'get free text message' messages and deleted them all. Received my bill and had been charged £3 for each one.

Balls to this so I emailed them in not too polite a way stating that I would involve ofcom etc. received a reply asking for my postal details and got the full amount refunded.

So 'idiot tax' hmmmm

Please think before you slate 'everyone' in general.

It's only the consumer's problem if they don't read the small print, and that falls with these people's parents. If you don't understand or can't read small print, I doubt you're mature or bright enough to be in possession of a device such as a mobile phone.

I can assure you that there was no small print included in the one that scamed me at all.

Referring to 'Argument B', I'd say once again - if anyone 'needs' a ringtone, I think it's safe to say they shouldn't really be in possession of a mobile phone.

Let me guess your over 50 and uses black and white screen phone on PAYG and make £10 credit last 6 months. You have your phone set to an even more annoying default ringtone or worse a rendition of a old phone.
I have several ringtones on my phone and I use these to identify groups of callers (yes its required because I have a lot of contacts). Fortunatly I can use mp3 directly on my phone so I never have to pay for them.
you remind me of a member on another forum that said I was mad/stupid etc for having 3 computers despite me explaining that each is required and used.

Originally Posted by Paul M

I find the attitude of some people here to be very poor & somewhat offensive. My daughters like these, and other ringtones, and have on occasions bought some. As it happens they did not get caught by one of these scams, but to label a 11/12/13 year old girl an "idiot" because see didn't see the small print just shows how small minded some adults are.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

I think these ring tone companies should be shutdown. Especially jamster. When I am watching evening adult television, i.e documentaries at 10pm I DO NOT want to be hit with 2 double adverts form the same company in every advertisement break there is.

The
You won't like that "ASA ordered that a post 9pm restriction be applied to the ads in the future."

Originally Posted by SMHarman

The
You won't like that "ASA ordered that a post 9pm restriction be applied to the ads in the future."

No after 9pm it should be sensible TV not some stoopid assed frog that irritates the hell out of just about everyone.

Originally Posted by timewarrior2001

No after 9pm it should be sensible TV not some stoopid assed frog that irritates the hell out of just about everyone.

Confine your viewing to the more popular channels where the likes of Jamster can't afford the airtime.

[jrhnewark]

Originally Posted by Paul M

I find the attitude of some people here to be very poor & somewhat offensive. My daughters like these, and other ringtones, and have on occasions bought some. As it happens they did not get caught by one of these scams, but to label a 11/12/13 year old girl an "idiot" because see didn't see the small print just shows how small minded some adults are.

I was being deliberately emotive.

They're annoying and clearly a waste of money. As an 11/12/13 year old boy (it wasn't that long ago, seriously!), I didn't have £1.50 to waste on a poxy ringtone. Even if I did, I wouldn't have - I had more common sense.

Originally Posted by handyman

Let me guess your over 50 and uses black and white screen phone on PAYG and make £10 credit last 6 months. You have your phone set to an even more annoying default ringtone or worse a rendition of a old phone.

You doth make too many assumptions. I'm 16.

Originally Posted by handyman

You have your phone set to an even more annoying default ringtone or worse a rendition of a old phone.

You misunderstand the subtle corporate power game that is the 'Nokia Tune', a.k.a. 'Grand Valse' or 'That One Off Trigger Happy TV'. It says, of those men in suits whose phones use it, 'I am far too important and busy to have time to muck about with my phone settings. Hell, I don't even know how to change my ringtone!'.

Originally Posted by Chris T

Confine your viewing to the more popular channels where the likes of Jamster can't afford the airtime.

The more popular channel donmt have any decent viewing on anyway. So I'm screwed, might get rid of the TV all together and stop paying the fecking licence.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by Chris T

Hell, I don't even know how to change my ringtone!'.

Making it more funny when their 14 yr old changes it over the weekend to "thong song" or something suitably corporate.
As an aside to this, big companies corporate brand many of the products their employees use, e.g their desktop PC, perhaps they shoudl extend this to their mobiles, corporate screensaver, wallpaper, theme, ringtone!?