Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Telcos Play Both Sides of Telemarketing War

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the we-own-your-dial-tone dept.

Monoman writes "Most Slasdot readers already know this but CNN has an article about how the telcos are reaping profits from selling your phone number to the telemarketers, and selling customers ways to block the telemareketers, and selling telemarketers ways to get around the customers who are paying to have telemarketers blocked and... I think you get the picture. It is nice to see stuff like this in the mainstream media." So either both sides pay the local Baby Bell for its protection racket, or you just pass a law and the problem goes away.

4 of 430 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Georgia has the same type of system. It works, by PhysicsScholar · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Most sites aren't operated by one-toothed high school droputs and a diesel engine.

    --

    Department of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada, B3H 3J5
  2. Re:corflakes by eyeball · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    If you had a dick you might get laid more.

    yet having a dick hasn't helped your mom get laid more.

    --

    _______
    2B1ASK1
  3. I for a telemarketing company by AnimeRulez · · Score: 1, Flamebait
    What I don't understand is why everyone is so rude when I call. If people are around during dinner, in the early morning, or late evening, it only makes sense to call during those times. I have sold many excellent products and services such as calling plans, news papers, police retirement funds, and so on. Hearing about such things is surely worth a couple of minutes away from your supper.

    Have a nice day,
    AR

  4. Re:Pass the Law! by Zathrus · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Congrats! You've single handedly destroyed the US economy!

    What do you think Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion make their money from? Primarily selling credit data about you to other companies. Yes, it's personally identifiable because otherwise it would be useless. And while this isn't their sole source of income, it is the majority of it.

    So how did your proposed law destroy the economy? Simple. Nobody can get credit now. We've been catapulted back to the 1940s with respect to lending. How on earth is a bank or other institution supposed to know if you're a good credit risk if they can't get personally identifiable information about you? Without that information the entire market will collapse. I damn well won't lend money to someone that I can't get information about. What money is lent will be at huge interest rates because the insecurity is so high.

    Quibble with the system if you will, but it's a lot more effective than just about any other country's, and has lead directly to the economic prosperity enjoyed by the US today.