Briefs | ‘Halloween Albergue’ to be held on Oct 25

Albergue SCM is putting on a Halloween party this Saturday. The event kicks off at 6.45 p.m. and includes dance and music performances and a “coke drinking competition.” A horror doll garden will be set up in the patio. “Macau’s most frightening experience shall take place in the Albergue SCM Patio in the Historic Village of S. Lázaro District. Join us and see your nightmare come alive,” state the organizers.

Unsolicited text messages raise complaints

Lawmaker Song Pek Kei says that there is no clear definition of the type of advertising that can be sent via text message in Macau. According to Song, many people complain after receiving unsolicited text messages that advertise casinos when entering Macau at the Border Gate. Song Pek Kei asked for an amendment to existing laws and an increase of penalties in order to tackle the issue. According to the Collective Wisdom Policy Center, “there is an agreement among large-scale enterprises, advertising companies and telecommunication companies. And this allows gaming enterprises to send promotional texts to tourists on their mobile prepaid card.” The center’s vice chairman, Loi Man Keong, told the public broadcaster that personal data should be safeguarded, arguing that “it’s inappropriate that registered mobile users receive those (gaming advertising) messages, and personally as a local mobile user, I think our personal data should be protected by the Personal Data Protection Act. It shouldn’t be too easily accessed by any commercial organization. It’s illegal and not reasonable for gaming enterprises to send those gaming ads to us”.