US Air Force Aims High With Bluespam

from the droppin-bombs dept

It seems that more and more brands and companies are trying to market themselves via Bluespamming — sending out unsolicited messages and requests for connections to nearby mobile phones via Bluetooth. Marketers that use the practice, of course, don’t call it Bluespam, and see it as a wonderful mechanism to use, even though the vast majority of people that receive the messages aren’t interested in them. Now, it’s the US Air Force that’s turning to Bluespamming, as it plans to use the method to harass mobile phone users at a NASCAR race this weekend. A rep says Bluespamming will help prove the Air Force’s high-tech chops to impressionable kids, while somebody from its ad agency says that it will help attract “tech savvy” recruits. Would they say the same things about email spam? Probably not. It’s hard to see how annoying just about anybody with a Bluetooth phone in a particular area is a good way to market yourself, and never mind the horrific user experience of delivering content via mobile marketing. Needless to say, it’s great to see the US government getting into the spamming business.


Rate this comment as insightful
Rate this comment as funny
You have rated this comment as insightful
You have rated this comment as funny
Flag this comment as abusive/trolling/spam
You have flagged this comment
The first word has already been claimed
The last word has already been claimed
Insightful Lightbulb icon Funny Laughing icon Abusive/trolling/spam Flag icon Insightful badge Lightbulb icon Funny badge Laughing icon Comments icon

Comments on “US Air Force Aims High With Bluespam”

Subscribe: RSS Leave a comment
21 Comments
Yet Another anonymous coward says:

Re: Impersonating the Air Force

dorpus – please travel either east or west until you fall off the edge of the flat earth you live on…

You have to be an Air Force recruiter (or a W supporter) trying to take this thread off beat and ignore the real problem here.

So, Congress passes CAN-SPAM, but the military wants to produce it’s own. Of course, they would be immune to prosecution.

Mike Williamson (user link) says:

So?

I’d like to add invoking “W,” “Rove” and “Neocon” to Godwin’s Law. As soon as you see one of them, you know it’s time to stop reading.

However:
By entering the track you consent to their advertising. And, quoting another: First, someone has to have a bluetooth phone. Second they have to turn it on. Third they have to be within 30 or so feet of your broadcast location. Fourth, they have to enable all bluetooth connections. Fifth, they have to know how to read your message. Sixth, they have to care enough to buy your product.

Add Your Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Have a Techdirt Account? Sign in now. Want one? Register here

Comment Options:

Make this the or (get credits or sign in to see balance) what's this?

What's this?

Techdirt community members with Techdirt Credits can spotlight a comment as either the "First Word" or "Last Word" on a particular comment thread. Credits can be purchased at the Techdirt Insider Shop »

Follow Techdirt

Techdirt Daily Newsletter

Ctrl-Alt-Speech

A weekly news podcast from
Mike Masnick & Ben Whitelaw

Subscribe now to Ctrl-Alt-Speech »
Techdirt Deals
Techdirt Insider Discord
The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...
Loading...