www.donotcall.gov is the official FTC site where one can register to "opt out" of telemarketing phone calls. It's a nice idea, but done the wrong way.
7/27/2003 22:18:23
Suppose I designed a system such that I would come into your house and rifle through your refrigerator unless you called a special number opting out. You could register via my web site, but you'd have to supply an email address to confirm you're actually opting out of this. After all, we don't want other people to fraudently deprive you of this exciting and unique opportunity.
The mechanism to take you off the fridge list works like this: every quarter I download a "do not rifle" list. I'm obliged to remove everyone on this list from my list. (Or, easier still, I could assume that if you're not on this list, you must want me to rifle...)
There are couple of obvious loopholes. First, there's the "previous relationship" option... even if you're on the do not call list, I can still call you if we've had a previous relationship. For example, I saw Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon. Kevin Bacon starred in the movie Quicksilver, where he played a bike messenger, you've ridden a bike. Nous sommes comme des frères! "Would you like that vinyl siding in lime green or Pepto-Bismol pink?"
Second, I could be doing this for political or charitable purposes. This seems to offer an opportunity for the combined solicitation/sales pitch: Would you like to buy a time share in Belize and Support our telemarketing reform?"
If I don't adhere to these strict guidlines I could face stiff fines. Let's do some quick math: the government entity in charge of enforcing this has a budget of $18.7 million. They're estimating that 60,000,000 people will sign up by the end of six months. Punching numbers into my HP calculator.... this is tricky with all those zeros... that's less than first class stamp (37 cents) per person. [N.B. As of 7/28/03, they've registered over 28 million.]
Despite it being watered down and implemented "backwards," it's a nice baby step. I predict it's only a matter of time before the truly sleazy telemarketing organizations employ Internet-based phone services -- soon to become a burgeoning industry.
I found some other things you can do to reduce other solicitations. Stop preapproved credit card offers by calling 888-567-8688. If you want to permanently opt out, you have to return a written form they send you.
Remove yourself from the DMA mailing list by going to DMA web site.
You have to get off lists for each form — telephone, e-mail and postal mail — separately. DMA members who don't currently do business with you will be blocked for five years. You can stop e-mail solicitations free of charge online, but you have to drop a Lincoln (pay $5) to get your name off any mail and telephone lists. (The DMA touts this to the members as an opportunity to not waste money on people who don't want to be contacted. Works for me.)
Ask companies with whom you do business to not share or sell your information. Most companies do have the opt-out lists, but some rely on list selling as an income stream. In my personal experience, magazines and retail software companies are the worst offenders. The "shopper preference" cards seem to honor the requests. (And if you don't feel confident they will, order a sticker on top of it.
Some companies are required to contact their customers once a year and allow them to "opt out." Unfortunately, many of these notices are written with cryptic latin phrases with the actual "opt out" part deep within the document(s).
For example, I received a packet from Sears. Ten pages, in a teeny but forbidding font, were on the cardholder account. There were lots of rambling passages conveying key points like "if you charge something on the credit card, you have to pay for it." As if ten pages weren't enough, there was a two-page addendum, a four page addendum to the addendum and, oh yeah, a four-page privacy statement.
While the Sears Privacy Policy lacks specifics ("What do you mean by 'demographic information'?"), it is moderately readable... once you get past the other stuff. A sample passage:
Finally, the Center for Democracy and Technology, an activist organization in Washington, also has some useful information.
8/31/2003 update -- a few people have written in the comments section requesting that I opt them out. Please see the followup article.
(10/03/2003): The status of donotcall.gov is currently in legal question. Please see the official web site. A thorough explanation is available at at Findlaw (Not that anyone actually reads this far...)
7/27/2003 22:18:23
Suppose I designed a system such that I would come into your house and rifle through your refrigerator unless you called a special number opting out. You could register via my web site, but you'd have to supply an email address to confirm you're actually opting out of this. After all, we don't want other people to fraudently deprive you of this exciting and unique opportunity.
The mechanism to take you off the fridge list works like this: every quarter I download a "do not rifle" list. I'm obliged to remove everyone on this list from my list. (Or, easier still, I could assume that if you're not on this list, you must want me to rifle...)
There are couple of obvious loopholes. First, there's the "previous relationship" option... even if you're on the do not call list, I can still call you if we've had a previous relationship. For example, I saw Apollo 13 with Kevin Bacon. Kevin Bacon starred in the movie Quicksilver, where he played a bike messenger, you've ridden a bike. Nous sommes comme des frères! "Would you like that vinyl siding in lime green or Pepto-Bismol pink?"
Second, I could be doing this for political or charitable purposes. This seems to offer an opportunity for the combined solicitation/sales pitch: Would you like to buy a time share in Belize and Support our telemarketing reform?"
If I don't adhere to these strict guidlines I could face stiff fines. Let's do some quick math: the government entity in charge of enforcing this has a budget of $18.7 million. They're estimating that 60,000,000 people will sign up by the end of six months. Punching numbers into my HP calculator.... this is tricky with all those zeros... that's less than first class stamp (37 cents) per person. [N.B. As of 7/28/03, they've registered over 28 million.]
Despite it being watered down and implemented "backwards," it's a nice baby step. I predict it's only a matter of time before the truly sleazy telemarketing organizations employ Internet-based phone services -- soon to become a burgeoning industry.
I found some other things you can do to reduce other solicitations.
For example, I received a packet from Sears. Ten pages, in a teeny but forbidding font, were on the cardholder account. There were lots of rambling passages conveying key points like "if you charge something on the credit card, you have to pay for it." As if ten pages weren't enough, there was a two-page addendum, a four page addendum to the addendum and, oh yeah, a four-page privacy statement.
While the Sears Privacy Policy lacks specifics ("What do you mean by 'demographic information'?"), it is moderately readable... once you get past the other stuff. A sample passage:
About the businesses with whom we share your information
To meet your needs with quality goods and services, we may share your information [...] as described below:
Type of Business What Information We May Share Outside contractors and service Providers We may share the following information with Outside Contractors and Service PRoviders:
- Your name, contact information and account number. Your account number will be encrypted if it is shared with companies offering marketing services
- Your purchase history and demographic data
- The account information necessary to process your account purchases or otherwise service your account
These are companies such as printers or Sears Dealer stores that perform services on Sears Credit's and Sears behalf. This category also includes other financial institutions, such as insurance companies, with whom Sears Credit has joint marketing agreements.
8/31/2003 update -- a few people have written in the comments section requesting that I opt them out. Please see the followup article.
(10/03/2003): The status of donotcall.gov is currently in legal question. Please see the official web site. A thorough explanation is available at at Findlaw (Not that anyone actually reads this far...)
.