Crazy Frog is back but is censored

Ringtone suppliers are 'preying' on children with teasing offers

COMPANIES supplying ringtones for mobile phones were "preying" on young people and teasing them with exploitative offers, a Labour TD claimed yesterday.

Mary Upton called for an investigation into the operation of the companies. She told the Dail she had difficulty finding out which Government department would take responsibility for where children were "inadvertently agreeing to contracts for services with ringtone providers."

Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Micheal Martin agreed it did merit further investigation.

Ms Upton told of a 10-year-old boy who had received a mobile phone as a present with €60 credit and who was attracted by an advertisement in a football magazine for Jamster, a provider of ringtones, mobile phone wallpaper and games.

"The boy was not aware when he joined the club he was agreeing to a contract. He was not asked his age nor did the company stipulate that a subscriber must be at least 16," she said.

Ms Upton said that Jamster is owned by the iLove company in Berlin which widely advertises Jamster and the well-known Crazy-Frog ringtone in magazines bought by children and teenagers. Most of the boy's €60 credit went on the ringtones.

"Jamster earns a great deal of its revenue from illegal contracts with children and young people who are completely unaware they have agreed to them," she said.

A Jamster representative "was unwilling to provide clarification on its pricing structure."

She was referred to the mobile provider, Vodafone, and it was unable to offer assistance, Ms Upton said.

Mr Martin said the matter raised a number of complex legal issues that needed investigation.

"The matter would appear to raise issues of both contract law and perhaps even common law in so far as it might apply to the conclusion of contracts involving minors," he said.

The minister has asked his officials to make further inquiries.