Posted on 11/27/2004 3:43:24 PM PST by Graybeard58
The agency overseeing the national Do Not Call Registry is considering opening a loophole in the year-old program to allow companies to deliver "pre-recorded message telemarketing" to American homes.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center, a Washington-based privacy watchdog, says the change could result in the 64 million people enrolled in the list being bombarded by "answering-machine spam" and other unwanted voices on voice mail.
The Federal Trade Commission says the change would have any dramatic results.
Allen Hile of the FTC's division of marketing practices, who is overseeing the proposed rule change, said the measure sought by the Voice Mail Broadcasting Corp. is only intended to bring FTC rules in line with those of the Federal Communications Commission; the FCC rules permit pre-recorded telemarketing messages to customers of companies.
Hile said companies would be allowed to send the messages only to their existing customers or those with which they already have business relationships. If they object to the calls, they would have the "opt out" of receiving further calls, he said.
-- Scripps Howard News Service
Hile added that companies using the method to contact customers would also have to clearly identify themselves in their messages.
The FTC has established the Web site https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-tsr for the public to comment on the proposed change by Jan. 20.
EPIC says altering the rules of the Do Not Call list at this time is dangerous because telephone technology is changing with the use of virtually cost-free Internet calling. The group says that creates a "perfect storm" to barrage American homes with unwanted telemarketing and answering-machine spam.
The organization says that if the calls are permitted, Voice Mail Broadcasting should be required to get permission from consumers before sending any messages to their telephones, a so-called "opt-in" plan. Telemarketers oppose opt-in proposals. Voice Mail says its technology can send 1.5 million messages a day, and EPIC says that if the loophole is opened, other companies can be expected to take advantage of it as well.
Free speech, right? First Amendment or something of the sort. Constitutional right to harass you!
Just what part of 'DO NOT CALL ME' don't these jerks understand?
Wouldn't you know? We get something going that is good; and they royally screw it up.
Maybe someone took a payoff?
Let's see if I can make that a clickable link:
https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-tsr
If they do this, they may as well drop the whole no call list altogether.
Why don't these companies that use telemarketers put their money, personnel and efforts into putting LIVE people in to answer the phones when we call them?
I'd contact many more companies on my own if it weren't a descent into automated phone hell!
Why can't these ba$tards just leave us alone?
I hate the automated calls NOW! and they are illegal in FL.
I want these advertisers to be forced to CLEARLY ID as an ad on the caller ID. All advertising should have "AD-" as the first three characters.
If that junk starts up again...on the very first day, I WILL cancel my phone service.
I have been thinking of going to strictly cell phone service anyway.
Ping
The do not call list alone was reason enough to support Bush during the 2004 election.
"companies using the method to contact customers would also have to clearly identify themselves in their messages."
Boy, I feel better now.
We have been wireless for about three years and have never regretted it.
If at all possible, shop around and find a cell phone plan that best fits your needs.
We have 2,000 "anytime" minutes and unlimited "nights and week ends" for less money than we paid for land line service and it meets our needs.
bttt!!!
Come on over and check this out.
Just when you thought you were through with all those telemarketers.
So government intervention into private industry is now considered conservative?
It won't be long before they have the cell phone numbers.
These are the people who run up time on my answering machine tape. This is getting ridiculous, not to mention overly intrusive.
What's it going to take to tell them to BUG OFF?
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