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Do Not Call Registry Set to Become Permanent
coondoggie passed us a NetworkWorld article about an initiative by the Senate to transform the Do Not Call list into a permanent institution. Originally individuals on the list were to have their place on the list revoked; up to a third of the people who signed up might have fallen off the list by the Autumn without renewing legislation. A move by the Senate this past Wednesday will permanently prevent salesmen from calling those who have registered for the list. "Aside from what telemarketing junk the bill does prevent, experts note what may also be a big deal is a provision that is NOT in this bill and that is protection for those other annoying time wasters: political robo calls."
I can just hang up on a phone call. I find junk mail to be far more annoying & damaging to the environment.
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
How about no robo-calls PERIOD?
Do you know they leave messags on your answering machine now?
I was sitting here, minding my own business.. phone rings, 1-800 number..no way i'm picking that up.
So my machine gets it, to my horrow i suddenly hear a text-book RADIO AD blaring through my answeing machine!
HI THIS IS GOTTSCHALKS BLQAGH BLAH BLAH in my own #($&*%& house, an ad! NO TV, NO RADIO!
I immediately threw my empty beer bottle at the blast machine, I'm getting answering service through the phone company now!
Excuse me, I don't mean to impose, but I am the ocean
Yes - But good luck persuading your "congresscritters" to add "political robo calls" to the list.
He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
I answer the phone and tell them "yes, just hold on a second". Then I leave the phone on the table, wondering how long will it take them to hang up this time.
The occasional person polling me for my opinions doesn't bother me at all. It's simple enough to hang up if I don't want to bother. But in the days before the Do Not Call List, I'd hardly ever bothered answering my phone if it got bad.
Junk mail is far worse, IMO. You still have to sort through it to make sure you're not throwing anything important out. It usually just ends up turning my house into a mess because I don't have the time to deal with it all. At the very least, they could put those newspaper adverts in a bag or something. It's too easy to get that crap mixed in with real mail. I don't want anything that doesn't have my name on it (resident mailings), nor do I want credit card offers that can fuck me up if I don't dispose of them properly. I wish I could direct a private company to deliver my mail that won't having a problem stripping this stuff out for me.
I assume other non-profit organizations will also be let through too.
-mrxak
Onions Will Kill You
The new telemarketers get around the do not call list by claiming they are taking surveys for products. I have been getting more and more calls for surveys lately for this or that product. I ask to be taken off the call list but they just say they are not telemarketers and ignore the request.
Businesses like to make themselves sound so privacy sensitive and friendly by offering an "opt-out" option. This is bullshit. Opt-out should be the default. Unless you have a bonafide business relationship with an organization (not their affiliates, partners, etc.), you should have to OPT-IN to be subject to direct mail, email, phone, and fax solicitations.
... maybe a little late to be opting out of this eh?) or at risk of physical harm.
Some don't even offer that - among the most egregious collectors and wholesalers of private, personal data is ChoicePoint. Check out this "Opt-Out" page: http://www.privacyatchoicepoint.com/optout_ext_pfg.html
See the "Reason for your request" dropdown? (Note that you have to choose a state to see any options here.). Notice that there is no "It's none of your fvcking business" choice available. You typically have to be a public elected official or law enforcement (they take care of their own of course), victim of identity theft (err
And it's not as simple as simply making that statement - you have to actually upload supporting documentation for your claim.
Don't hold your breath. The First Amendment issues are much stickier around non-commercial speech, especially political speech.
No, I don't happen to believe that they apply to people using my own equipment and my own paid service to harass me either, but those arguments can and will be made.
"It is our blasphemy which has made us great, and will sustain us, and which the gods secretly admire in us." - Zelazny
I still wont be happy until Opt-Out becomes the default, just like it should be with any other form of SPAM. Communications like this should all be Opt-In only, and only then if specifically subscribed per list type. All these contracts that say "we do business with you now, so our subsidiaries and 'partners' all get to SPAM you now, unless you go over there and print this form and sign and snail-mail it" are the default now, and they all stink.