Whopping Fine Day for UK Regulator: £269,500

PhonepayPlus, the UK premium rate regulator, is having a good day today. Or a bad day, depending on your viewpoint.

They’ve issued adjudications for fines totalling £269,500.

The biggest fine this week was 100k to Netsize for a £4.50/week premium SMS chat service operated by Unify Media:

Formal reprimand; bar on the service until the service provider seeks and implements compliance advice from PhonepayPlus and the advice accordingly; to pay all claims made by users for refunds

You can view all the latest adjudications here.

One thing that caught my attention in the update:

Service title: myspace.com/brettlad
Service provider: Mr Ryan Taylor
Content and/or promotion provided by: Mr Ryan Taylor

It’s unusual to see an individual listed. Looks like he was operating a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender support line without, it seems, clearly advising callers of the applicable charges or cutting off callers off after the £30 spending limit. More information here.