SHAME on Verizon

In a brainless move, Verizon Wireless has taken up the mantle of Big Brother, deciding to police the political actions of its customers.

When NARAL Pro-Choice America, a national pro-choice advocacy group, asked Verizon to let its customers participate in the group's texting program, Verizon refused, claiming NARAL was too "controversial" and "unsavory" for its business. (NARAL's program allows cell phone users to sign up for legislative updates via text message, by sending a message to a five-digit number known as a "short code".) All other major wireless carriers have signed on.

Apparently, if Verizon doesn't approve of the content of a text message, company policy allows them not to send it.

“No company should be allowed to censor the message we want to send to people who have asked us to send it to them,” said Nancy Keenan,NARAL's president, in today's New York Times. “Regardless of people’s political views, Verizon customers should decide what action to take on their phones. Why does Verizon get to make that choice for them?”

If you find this at all disturbing, you can do something about it. NARAL's website provides this nifty form you can use to send Verizon an email, telling them exactly what you think.