Petition Make premium text services require an opt-in

Shortcode text services send texts to your phone, providing ridiculous "premium" information services such as the last week's lottery numbers or entry into dubious competitions at prices such as £1.50 per text. These are fronted by websites that ask for your phone number and offer you something, and it is often not at all clear that you will be charged. You could even enter somebody else's phone number into these websites and cause them to be charged for receiving premium texts.

A free text request for confirmation should be issued to the phone owner which makes it absolutely clear that there will be a charge for the service and details of how to opt out, and the message should require a positive opt-in from the customer before any premium rate texts are issued.