Telemarketing Industry Sues Over Do-Not-Call List

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[chance33_98]

Telemarketing Industry Sues Over Do-Not-Call List

POSTED: 1:52 p.m. EDT July 28, 2003

WASHINGTON -- The telemarketing industry is widening its legal challenge to the government's national do-not-call list.

The industry is suing a second federal agency over the call-blocking service, which telemarketers say will ruin their business and put up to 2 million people out of work.

An industry group had sued the Federal Trade Commission in January to try to stop the list. Now it's asking a federal court to reject new rules set by the Federal Communications Commission.

The FCC added its authority to the list to close regulatory loopholes and block calls from certain industries -- including airlines, banks and telephone companies.

The head of the American Teleservices Association calls the government agencies' actions "regulatory overkill."

Beginning in September, telemarketers will have to check the list every three months to see who doesn't want to be called. Firms could be fined up to $11,000 per violation.

The toll-free number to call to join the Do Not Call list is (888) 382-1222.

To register online, visit DoNotCall.gov

[breakem]

My referring to phone service is the agreement from the phone company. Don't no any company who guarantees calls from only particular sources.

I was not addressing your 800 number.

[steve-b]

Our favorite dying webzine just published a defense of telemarketers.

[steve-b]

I haven't answered my phone in 15 years. Did I miss a job offer from the White House?

If you're female and a bit zaftig, you might have missed just such an opportunity anytime between ten and two years ago....

[steve-b]

No, I think it would be simpler to have a law against theft of services.

Oh, wait, we already have such a law. We just need to start enforcing it.

[RightWhale]

If you're female and a bit zaftig

Guess this old, hairyback, balding man with a 'tude is not qualified. All the less reason to answer the phone.

[LibWhacker]

Don't suppose that it is because the government post office makes money on each and every piece of junk mail.

I've always suspected they make very little (or maybe even lose money) on junk mail. So in order to make up for their small margins on it, they have to charge first class customers 34 cents for every letter -- and constantly lobby to increase that.

If I had my way, there'd be no break for junk mailers . . . Your mailbox wouldn't be full of junk every day, you could lay off half the employees at the post office, improve service, halve the cost to the taxpayer for running that bloated service, AND reduce stress amongst those postal employees who keep their jobs and are about to go postal. The rest of them could get out there in the private sector and find jobs like everyone else.

[glennaro]

To help them develop an appreciation for work, I taught my children that all legal work is honorable. My thinking has been altered in recent years by innumerable assaults by telemarketers: I have no respect for the work they do, and thus having no respect for them, I treat them accordingly when they call.

I recall the words of Brian Dougherty in this month's Reason magazine where he writes of: "the privacy-shattering powers of the telephone, a device that allows strangers to set off alarms in your house simply by punching a few numbers on a remote keypad."

[steve-b]

I taught my children that all legal work is honorable.

The basic idea you're trying to teach is correct, but it got mucked up when you implicitly equated "legal" with "honest".

[glennaro]

I appreciate and respect the point you make. It's not this simple -- I wrote it this way only for the sake of brevity and to get to my main point.

Regards, Glenn

[dennisw]

Get a digital answering machine. Mine is 7 years old and has a 30 second limit for messages with one in-box. The newer ones are better, more flexible. I have had people phone twice when they needed 60 seconds for their message.

Only drawback is your backup battery should be fresh or a power interruption will wipe out your messages. Or plug it into your computer's battery backup.

[lonestar]

I signed up the first day and am signed up to our State "Do Not Call List" as well.

Ditto! Why would they want to waste our time with people like us? I don't give to charity over the phone. I don't want to be bothered on the phone by people I don't know. Period.