The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) has released a six-point industry code of conduct for North American wireless marketing campaigns, hoping to stop a spam epidemic before it starts.

The global wireless marketing trade group said it developed the code to protect a fledgling medium that is extremely vulnerable to abuse. The code stipulates that advertisers must allow people to opt in to each mobile marketing program separately. It also says every message sent must provide an easy opt-out mechanism, and consumers should be offered something of value in each wireless communication they receive.

The code gives a green light to companies hoping to collect demographic data for mobile campaigns, since "mobile messaging campaigns are most effective when appropriately targeted," the authors of the code wrote.

A second step the MMA is considering is the creation of a mobile campaign certification process to help advertisers and brands design campaigns that meet the code of conduct.