MACC featured a diverse array of speakers that touched on a wide variety of subjects ranging from the challenges of working with the carriers to place adult content “on deck” and the difficulties content providers face in this regard when working with the major domestic carriers, to the advancements in personal display devices, such as wearable “goggles” that provide a big screen experience in a mobile form factor.
The first day’s agenda focused on age verification and child protection — two of the major issues that need to be fully addressed before domestic carriers will embrace adult content on their networks. Balancing risk and reward through a proactive industry approach to self-regulation was high on the list of priorities, as was drawing the line between “adult entertainment” and “pornography,” with much discussion devoted toward understanding the carrier’s “comfort level” with adult entertainment — a comfort level that may see a limit to what is available “on deck” from domestic carriers.
The discussion of preventing minor’s access to adult mobile content was one of the most engaging, with approaches ranging from voluntary self-labeling initiatives, such as the one currently underway by the Association of Sites Advocating Child Protection to the stance advocated by National Coalition For The Protection Of Children and Families, which believes that parent’s should be prosecuted if their teenage children use camera phones to produce and distribute sexually explicit images of their friends — an act which constitutes illegal child pornography.
The second day of seminars focused on mobile content, delivery mechanisms, revenue projections and market opportunities. Mobile dating applications being carried on deck seemed to hold great promise, as does the future of adult mobile T.V. advocated by WAAT Media. Dealing with the media to gain exposure for your company and offerings, as well as the mechanics of licensing and partnership deals was also covered.
Monetizing content through various billing mechanisms was also discussed, with turn-key solutions for establishing a mobile presence along with innovative billing solutions receiving much interest. Of particular interest to smaller content providers and online publishers seeking to enter the domestic mobile market were the discussions of going “off deck” — offering web, WAP and mobile content to mobile device users without involving the carriers or their restrictions.