N.J. may crack down on advertisers sending unwanted texts

A New Jersey Senate committee has advanced a measure aimed at advertisers who clutter cell phones with unwelcome texts.

Texting is becoming a more prevalent way to push products, said bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Atlantic.

“Not only is it annoying, not only is it an invasion of privacy, but at the same time — depending on the particular plan that you have with your mobile phone company — you may be actually be paying them to bother you in a way that you don’t desire,” he said Monday. “That’s pretty painful.”

The Division of Consumer Affairs would enforce the ban, Van Drew said, and violators could face fines of as much as $30,000.

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The Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved the measure that was passed by the Assembly in June.

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