The end of our privacy...

[vincentsiaw]

look at this.. it's really sad that we are losing our privacy day by day....

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/02/26/telemarket.tool.ap/index.html

just want to know how many of you hate telemarketer?

[felixdd]

Sounds like legalized hacking to me.

[Pony99CA]

look at this.. it's really sad that we are losing our privacy day by day....

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/ptech/02/26/telemarket.tool.ap/index.html

just want to know how many of you hate telemarketer?
I knew it was only a matter of time before they developed something to work around these silly boxes. I'm glad I didn't waste my money on one.

That said, anybody who blocks Caller ID on all their outgoing phone calls really has no right to complain. If you call me, I think I have the right to know who's calling. Blocking Caller ID is like knocking on my door and covering the peephole. If you don't want me to know your number, don't call me!

Yes, there are legitimate reasons to block Caller ID -- calling businesses that you don't want to have your phone number so you don't get telemarketing calls, calling from protective places like shelters, etc. That's what selective Caller ID blocking is for.

If this software actually puts the true Caller ID information on my phone instead of "Unknown", I think it will be a good thing.

I saw someone speaking about ideas on privacy that I actually agree with. There are really two kinds of privacy -- your data and your time. Getting your public data should be OK; using that data (or random acts) to affect you should not be OK without permission.

For example, I don't care who has my E-mail address, but I do care if I get spammed. My telephone number is publicly available, so I expect calls, but I should not get marketed to unless I opt in. Using my financial or medical records should not be OK without permission.

I'd favor a law like they have in the U.K. Anybody (at least any commercial enterprise) that has data about you has to contact you every year telling you what data they have about you, what they use it for and give you the opportunity to correct it (or delete it, unless they have a legitimate need for it, like billing you for services).

Steve

[GoldKey]

I have a product on my phone line that works a little different from the Telezapper and I think would be immune to this new device. I have not received a single telemarketing call since hooking it up and averaged one call a day before.

It works like this. When the phone rings, the device answers immediately, often without the house phone even ringing. It plays a message like this (you can customize it) "You have reached our call screener. This number does not accept telemarketing calls. If you are a telemarketer, please remove this number from your call list. If you are a personal or invited caller press 5 to continue." If you press 5, the phone will ring through.

According to the package, since they are put on notice, it is against the law for them to press 5 and connect if they are a telemarketer. Additionally, most of the operators working the predicitive dialers don't have a keypad to dial 5 on anyway.

I have been very happy with the product and will post the exact name of it when I get home.

[vincentsiaw]

I have been very happy with the product and will post the exact name of it when I get home.

this is good thing, please tell me what's the name this is nice...

[Lotto]

I have a cell phone for important calls.....I just quit answering my home phone. I have an answering machine and all my friends know, if you want me...speak...if I'm there I will pick up.

[GoldKey]

I have been very happy with the product and will post the exact name of it when I get home.

this is good thing, please tell me what's the name this is nice...

It is called the Screen Machine. It is manufactured by Spectrum Research. http://www.spectrumresearchinc.com/products_sm.htm

My local target was clearancing them. Regular price was 49.99, I got mine for 24.98 and they had them down to 12.48 the other day when I bought the last one for a friend.

[Brad Adrian]

Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water, here, folks. Yes, I would be among the first to say that I absolutely hate IRRESPONSIBLE telemarketers. Those who indiscriminantly market without doing the homework needed to make sure they aren't trying to sell vinyl siding to apartment dwellers should be put out of business. However, the use of predictive dialers, as explained in the article, goes far beyond "cold call" telemarketing. For example, predictive dialers make vital consumer research possible, including such things as the well-known Gallup Polls.

The best things for consumers to do are:

--Don't answer the phone if you don't want such calls.
--Hang up once you detect that telltale delay before the caller says anything.
--Inform the callers that you want to be removed from their list and document your request. If they call you back again, you are entitled to a $2,000 fine payment.
--Screen your calls with an answering machine.
--Etc.

And, NO, I am not a telemarketer. I have worked in a phone center doing consumer research, though, so that's where I've gained a bit of sympathy for those doing such work.

[vincentsiaw]

I like the idea of $ 2000 fine from now on, T'm trying my best to make them pay fine and I don't want to answer consumer research survey either, it's also annoying because they always call during my sleeping time, which is their working time. :twisted:

[GoldKey]

Brad, I am going to have to completely disagree with you. How is using a product like the one I suggested "throwing the baby out with the bathwater"? In fact, the product I am using and the way I described it does exactly what you suggested, it just automates the process. But in reality, I should not have to buy a product just to be protected from this kind of thing. Suggestions like "Don't answer the phone if you don't want such calls" or "Screen your calls with an answering machine" are not really fair. Why should I have to avoid the calls that I do want just to keep from being disturbed by the ones I don't? If I use the answering machine to screen my calls then I have to go check the machine after each call to see who it was and if they left a message. That is even more of a pain then just answering the phone and hanging up on the telemarketer.

Predictive dialers should be banned or at least set a very high connect rate (but then the govt would have to get involved to monitor their compliance). I got more calls that were just dead air than actually connected. This is no different than someone knocking on the door and running away.

As far as enforcing the $2000 fine, 90% of the time when I would ask for the companys name/address/phone, the representative would just hang up on me.

[Pony99CA]

Predictive dialers should be banned or at least set a very high connect rate (but then the govt would have to get involved to monitor their compliance). I got more calls that were just dead air than actually connected. This is no different than someone knocking on the door and running away.

I agree with this. There should be a law that prohibits "dead air" calls. In fact, I think I heard about one being worked on. If their dialer dials ten numbers and more than one person answers, the people not speaking with a live person should get a recording like the following:


We're sorry, but the representative of Acme Products calling you is taking another call. If you wish to wait, please press 1. If you wish to be added to the Acme Products' Do Not Call list, please press 2. Thank you.

In fact, any of those programs that call and play a recording to you should be required to allow automated addition to the Do Not Call list. I shouldn't have to call their 800 number back to avoid future calls.

As if that will ever happen. :-D

I will say one good thing about telemarketers. Spammers make them look ethical and polite. :rofl:

Steve

[GoldKey]

I will say one good thing about telemarketers. Spammers make them look ethical and polite. :rofl:

Steve

Agreed, if people got as many telemarketing calls as they do spam, there would probably be some really strong laws on the books by now.

[Busdriver]

There is a rather provocative article in the latest issue of Reader's Digest about this very subject. It's not about spam itself but rather about the general perceived loss-of-privacy issue. The next time you are waiting for your dentist appointment check it out.