Canadian Cable Company Shames Non-Paying Customers Publicly On Facebook (hothardware.com)

MojoKid writes: If you've ever been late on paying a bill, it's unlikely that you ever thought that you were running the risk of being publicly shamed about your shortcomings. However, for a few unfortunate individuals, one Canadian cable TV provider doesn't see things quite the same way. Recently, Senga Services, which is located in Canada's Northwest Territories, decided to begin posting the names of customers that had overdue payments to its Facebook page. The initiative was spearheaded by company employee Jennifer Simons, who felt so strongly about her right to expose late bill payers, that she debated with those on a Facebook community page who thought she was in the wrong in doing so. Simons claims that public shaming has proven to be the most successful method of getting customers to pay up. Exposing someone's name and amount owed might be a gross breach of ethics, but Simons claims that it's not illegal. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada urged the company to pull the post outing these tardy customers, and the company has since obliged. The Privacy Commissioner is now mulling whether this issue is worth investigating further.

Comments

Wrong?

[Anonymous Coward]

Am I the only one who thinks it's wrong to shame people as a form of punishment?

Re: Wrong?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd go one step further...breach of contract. She disclosed client information to the public. That could get her fired, sued, and possibly arrested. Keep in mind the stories of hacked data that has been posted to the public....

Re: Wrong?

[whopis]

Actually, failing to pay on time is probably a condition covered in the contract and therefor not a breach of contract. My guess is that they have clauses that allow them to charge late fees and interest on past due balances. There is likely an upper limit on how long that continues before it is a breach of contract, but I am certain there is a time period where the contract would still be in effect. And it sounds like she posted everyone who was late on bills.

Re:Wrong?

[bzipitidoo]

Depends on the creditor. Some debts I regard as a badge of honor. Anyone who manages to obtain vital medicinal pills that can be produced for under $1 but which have been priced at $750 each, on a "bill me later" basis, and then stiffs the pharmaceutical business by paying only $1 per pill, is a hero.

Don't pay tolls of a private road that was public but which was sold far too cheaply to a private company in a sweetheart deal? Hero. Bonus points if you find out the license plate numbers of the offending politicians who made the sale, and charge the tolls to them. Also, don't pay the red light camera ticket. Maybe throw the notice in the trash, but now I think such things may be better used on a wall of shame, for shaming cities.

And, ISPs? Well, let's see. Is Comcast a reputable business? How about AOL? I don't know of any US ISP or telecoms company that have not pulled some underhanded stunt to bilk the public. Maybe it's different in Canada, and this poor, poor ISP really is being cheated by the public.

Re:Can't wait for the aftermath.

[Ol Olsoc]

I predict we see an article on slashdot in about two months, telling us how many customers ended their contract with said company.

My guess is 2%.

This all seems so odd. Instead of public shaming, perhaps cutting off their service will get them to pay up? Jus' sayin'.

A Cable Company?

[mbone]

In my experience, people do not respect cable companies enough to be ashamed at being late paying them.

Re:Can't wait for the aftermath.

[Ol Olsoc]

Some consider internet to be essential.

I suppose it would be mean to cut off some people's sex life