Federal court has put the do not call list on hold for now.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/09/24/technology/ftc_donotcall/index.htm
http://money.cnn.com/2003/09/24/technology/ftc_donotcall/index.htm
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U.S. court blocks anti-telemarketing list
- Thread starter bousozoku
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Yeah. Aren't you glad you signed up? I am.
On the one hand, I ought to be able to block people from calling my home if I don't like my phone ringing three times a day with sales pitches. On the other hand, I understand that this cuts off a primary form of spreading service for telecom companies. I used to sell service for MCI, and you wouldn't believe how many people never looked to see how badly they were being overcharged on their bill until I persuaded them to pull it out and compare.
I say let the do-not-call list stand. 50 million people signed up, so I would think that shows the need.
Dan
On the one hand, I ought to be able to block people from calling my home if I don't like my phone ringing three times a day with sales pitches. On the other hand, I understand that this cuts off a primary form of spreading service for telecom companies. I used to sell service for MCI, and you wouldn't believe how many people never looked to see how badly they were being overcharged on their bill until I persuaded them to pull it out and compare.
I say let the do-not-call list stand. 50 million people signed up, so I would think that shows the need.
Dan
i am just having a hard time buying the argument that this violates their first amendment right to free speech...
yes, they have the right to tell people about their services.
yes, telling them they were allowed to make no calls on general principle would violate this right.
BUT
the general public has the right not to have to hear what the telemarketers have to say.
by putting their name on the list, members of the public are directly expressing their desire not to listen to what telemarketers have to say.
the list is designed so that only these people are prevented from hearing the message of the telemarketers, not so that the telemarketers cannot pass on their message.
it would be like saying that it violated the first ammendment rights of companies if you changed the channel on (or muted) the tv when commercials came on. or that it violates the first ammendment right of people who are protesting on the street if you choose to roll up your car window so you don't have to listen to what they're saying.
to me, this does not represent a restriction at all on the right to free speech (the telemarketers can still say whatever they want), but it does help protect the rights of those who don't care to hear the message.
/sorry if this is kinda rambling or incoherent. it may be edited later. this just irritates me.
yes, they have the right to tell people about their services.
yes, telling them they were allowed to make no calls on general principle would violate this right.
BUT
the general public has the right not to have to hear what the telemarketers have to say.
by putting their name on the list, members of the public are directly expressing their desire not to listen to what telemarketers have to say.
the list is designed so that only these people are prevented from hearing the message of the telemarketers, not so that the telemarketers cannot pass on their message.
it would be like saying that it violated the first ammendment rights of companies if you changed the channel on (or muted) the tv when commercials came on. or that it violates the first ammendment right of people who are protesting on the street if you choose to roll up your car window so you don't have to listen to what they're saying.
to me, this does not represent a restriction at all on the right to free speech (the telemarketers can still say whatever they want), but it does help protect the rights of those who don't care to hear the message.
/sorry if this is kinda rambling or incoherent. it may be edited later. this just irritates me.
You pulled it together in the end. Well said...
I wonder if it really will hurt the telemarketers as bad as they claim?
argh! in the past few weeks, it seems like i'm getting more calls than ever. and now this...
i do not believe this is a freedom of speech issue. there's already laws against spamming fax machines. the basis is: fax machines are resources and spamming them clogs up the resource.
i don't think there's anything wrong w/ saying that my telephone and answering machine are such resources. and to say nothing of my time.
i do not believe this is a freedom of speech issue. there's already laws against spamming fax machines. the basis is: fax machines are resources and spamming them clogs up the resource.
i don't think there's anything wrong w/ saying that my telephone and answering machine are such resources. and to say nothing of my time.
I am glad that I signed up for it. Freedom of speech? Sure. Right to privacy? Absolutely.
As far as MCI, I never had a problem with it until WorldCom got involved. It seemed that my rates kept going up unexpectedly, even after I called them on it.
I agree, but I thought the Fax thing was because it costs me money to recieve the fax.. (My Fax machine is over $.10 a page to operate...) With Cell phones, this argument gets stronger.
I'm just gald I don't have a landline.
do not call list or not, I'm still not going to get telemarket calls.
do not call list or not, I'm still not going to get telemarket calls.
No land line, no telemarketing costs. Pretty simple.
When I had a phone line, it was hooked up to my Mac's modem line, and when I was away, the Mac was off, so there was nothing to ring or answer.
Also, there was a phone on the phone line, but the ringer was set to off, so I didn't even know if someone was calling. Pretty simple. Also, if I did set the ringer to on, and it rings, and I answer, I give them about 1 second on say who they are, if not, I hang up and don't answer the phone for the next hour.
When I had a phone line, it was hooked up to my Mac's modem line, and when I was away, the Mac was off, so there was nothing to ring or answer.
Also, there was a phone on the phone line, but the ringer was set to off, so I didn't even know if someone was calling. Pretty simple. Also, if I did set the ringer to on, and it rings, and I answer, I give them about 1 second on say who they are, if not, I hang up and don't answer the phone for the next hour.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Billy Tauzin, R-La., and the committee's ranking member, John Dingell, D-Mich., said they were disappointed by the ruling but are confident it will be overturned.
I heard John Dingell speak on a radio newscast today. He said that is the ruling was not overturned in court. That he would work diligently in Congress to pass a bill giving the FTC the power to make a list to block telemarketers. Thought this could be accomplished buy the October 1st beginning date!
I heard John Dingell speak on a radio newscast today. He said that is the ruling was not overturned in court. That he would work diligently in Congress to pass a bill giving the FTC the power to make a list to block telemarketers. Thought this could be accomplished buy the October 1st beginning date!
shouldn't the telemarketers be happy with the list? the people signing up are those who will likely just hang up the minute they realize they are talking to a telemarketer. wouldn't the telemarketers be happy knowing who these people are so that they wouldn't waste their time calling them in the first place?
I still don't understand how the telemarketing industry can lose millions of dollars when these people weren't going to talk to them anyway.
What's so bad is that, when they go back to clarify the list's power, they have a chance to help the telemarketing industry.
What's so bad is that, when they go back to clarify the list's power, they have a chance to help the telemarketing industry.
The Federal Court did not agree! So congress today has rewritten the law to allow the FTC the power to have the "Do No Call List." The House has already passed this Bill in record time due to 50 million angry Americans. The Senate is due to pass this Bill momentarily. President Bush said that he will sign this Bill into law! Just in time for October 1st!
You might think so, but in fact everyone says they don't like telemarketers but some still buy when they get called, and that's why the telemarkets still want to call us.
Spam is the same. The reason we all hate it but all get it is that some of us buy what they advertise. With spam, the cost per e-mail is so low that a very small hit rate will sustain the business. Telemarketers need a better hit rate because they pay for boileroom employees and phone lines, but they still believe the more targets, the better.
well there was a little good news with a new bill being pushed through congress BUT now...
http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=785149
http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=785149