Vodafone's Content Control went live in the UK, but it isn't fool proof yet. The story here shows some of the problems you can have with the system:

Vodafone Content Control

Attempting to read the news on the bus via GPRS yesterday was full of suprises. I found the BBC news site blocked by something calling itself "Vodafone Content Control"; telling me that the site was unsuitable and giving no hint why. A bit of experimentation found that about 50% of my bookmarked pages were also blocked.

This would be perfectly reasonable apart from the fact that my bookmarks are for nothing more salacious than news, weather forecasts and train times.

A long phone call to Vodafone followed. In truth, this was a long wait in a queuing system followed by a short chat with a harassed and weary help desk bloke. He told me that Vodafone had put the censorship system in place overnight, without any warning to staff let alone customers. I think he was even more hacked off than me.

Vodafone's Content Control could also be a way to offer adult content more easily, as has been mentioned elsewhere*.
And last but not least, it could also be a way to block out any content which doesn't come directly from Vodafone.

As Mobile Media tells me today in their newsletter:

Vodafone is close to unveiling major changes to its business models for mobile content. Simplified pricing, changes to revenue share deals and even wholesale rates for suppliers are on the cards as the operator tries to clear away any barriers to data service take-up. Crucially, Vodafone is eliminating per-megabyte traffic charges for its live! service, including both browsing and content downloads...."

Whereas on first sight this sounds great, it renforces my worries that this could mean that only Vodafone Live content gets this treatment and worse... only Vodafone Live content will be available in the future. Am I too parano?

Update (20.7.04, 19:11)
Here as an echo:)

GILLMOR: Potentially the most dangerous is the emerging duopoly of cable and phone "broadband" carriers. They'll have every incentive to turn today's open-access lines into walled gardens, or to allow some content to get to people before other content. This duopoly could make the already problematic corporate consolidation of media seem tame.

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* Vodafone becomes first UK operator to control mobile content
Some commentators believe however that the move is to allow the mobile phone operator to start offering adult content with the peace of mind that it is offering a safety net for the unsure.