I'm starting to wonder if this whole Do Not Call Registry isn't just a bunch of bullshit that the government put together to make us think it matters.
Over in jwz's journal he enumerates the many exceptions to the new rules. Looking at the list, I'm having a hard time figuring out how this new service (which still hasn't sent me e-mail confirmation) is going to help. Yeah, maybe it'll stop 1-2 calls a month.
It's too bad that our government doesn't have the balls to give us a real solution. (Hint: an opt-in list seems more appropriate.)
Posted by jzawodn at June 29, 2003 12:35 PM
If you notice, all telemarketing companies HAVE to follow the block no matter the company they are working for. 95% of calls are made from these type of mass call centers. Also, just because they are exempt, you can ask to be put on their no call list (like you can today) and they have to obey.
BTW, I didn't my email either so I went back and did it. Worked the second time. They were at heavy loads (1,000 a second) and couldn't handle it. Since you're west of the mississippi you can just call the number as well. Probably faster.
I put my name on the list twice, for a total of 5 phone numbers (dont ask) and got an email reply within 30 minutes. this was on the day of the announcement even.
I also subscribe to PacBell/SBC Privacy Manager, which means I created a list of numbers that are allowed to call me, the others (if they block the name of the caller) get a nice greeting asking them to leave their name, the phone then calls me and I get to allow or send to voicemail.
I love it, I havent gotten a spam-like call in since I got this service. Of course there are problems when a certain new employer tried calling me, and his work number is blocked for security reasons, and the wife didnt know who it was....he wound up calling my cell phone instead.
I agree it should be an opt-in list not a opt-out list. This way it would even help the marketing companies, they could buy a targeted list of people who ACTUALLY want to hear from them ! what a concept !
One of the craziest things I heard all weekend was a rep from the Telemarketing side whining on CNN: this is going to hurt our business, and a lot of people that make these calls are going to lose their jobs.
Yeah, and? Maybe they should make better career choices! If a programmer writing spam software loses their job, should I feel sorry for them too?
"Honey, I lost my job annoying the hell out of strangers at dinnertime"
Maybe you didn't recieve your email as Yahoo's spam filters threw the message in the junk mail folder thinking it was, ironically, spam?
Actually, what bothers me more is that through the restrictions the government essentially said it's okay for certain industries to harass us even if we specifically ask them not to.
Whose rights is the government supposed to be protecting again? I get confused easily on this one..
I think that we should consider the list a referendum. If we can get 51% of the phones in the US to sign up, they should outlaw telemarketing completely.
I didn't get an email response for 18 hours after I signed up the first day. Looks like it is more popular than they anticipated.
I'm sure there are holes in this particular privacy buffer, but I haven't bothered to chase them down. I've drastically reduced my calls by asking to be placed on the caller's "no call list". With the exception of my local phone company, this works.
Curious, tho, what will happen when someone gets a recycled phone number and asks to be taken off the national list.
oops, sorry for the embarassing double post. And I bet this apology will be another embarassing double post too. Your server is acting odd tonight, my msg appears to fail with a time out, I check back and it hasn't appeared, so I repost and then suddenly it appears, and I've double posted. So I'm doubly embarassed. I doubly apologize. Quadruply even.
As with most sites which use ASP, the donotcall.gov site does not properly handle an email address with a plus character on the left-hand side.
I looked over the so-called rules and it is another one of those government programs that's into "exemptions" and loopholes. In order for this program to REALLY work, it should have said if you put your phone number on this list NOBODY can call you...PERIOD. I can imagine the people rushing to get on this list and once it's up and running, the amount of calls will not be less, but rather more. See, people assume because the government gets involved, well people just have to follow the rules/laws. This never happens because instead of doing it RIGHT the first time, like having NO exceptions/exemptions, they force them into getting creative to get around it. I will bet those call centers will start the phone conversation by saying we would like a donation, then that covers the rules, then by the time they are through, they have sold you on 14 credit cards, a ginzu knife assortment, some viagra for those "times", and a autographed picture with Ted "Big Dig" Kennedy, Tom "soon to be gone-via the little village woman-Hillary" Daschle and Robert "Sheets" Byrd. LOL
Andrew, bad programming is bad programming. Nothing to do with ASP.
As far as this, most of the exempt industries are exempt because there are already regulations in place which limit who and what they can call. For instance airlines, I have never received a blind call from an airline.
Likewise, the telemarketing business won't stop. It will simply change from cold telemarketing to warm telemarketing, ie: those who want to be called about a specific product.
J
