~terry
Sat, Feb 21, 1998 (16:39)
seed
Public record information entrusted to local, state and federal
government agencies is being reappraised as a possible revenue source.
Consequently, data that citizens considered as private is now being
actively marketed, frequently for commercial solicitation purposes.
Moreover, there are allegations that stalkers are now using the Internet
to find home addresses and personal details of victims. While the
Internet did not create this conflict, on-line tools are rapid and
pervasive, greatly increasing the importance of an Information Age
dilemma: How should government reconcile rights of privacy and public
records?
Gene Crick, Texas Telecommunications Journal
~EmpZoltar
Tue, Mar 3, 1998 (21:43)
#1
How about requiring that each person on a mailing list be paid $1 for the use of their name and address? Suddenly, those credit card goobers have to send out 10,000,000 $1 checks, and if they sell the mailing list, they have to pay another $.50. A charg
e could be levied by the government for access to a person's personal records, and a portion of that fee would go to the person being accessed. A privacy seal could be placed on the account if desired, which would be irrevocable unless a court order is o
tained.
I've had some pretty nasty run-ins with marketers. Several years ago, my wife had a miscarriage. That was bad enough, but for months afterwards, we got cards, coupons and phone solicitations about baby-related services. Every single day, we had the emo
tional wounds ripped open again by some yotz at a computer terminal, offering to sell us baby pictures, diaper service, childrens' books, insurance - it got to where I didn't even try to be polite to these people - I'd just scream into the phone, "The god
amn baby died, you stupid jerk! Leave us alone!" One telemarketer called back three times, not believing what we told him. For the most part, I was too emotionally wiped out to contact the companies that were doing this - I just kept hoping it would en
d. Eventually, I found out that our insurance comany had provided some of the information used to solicit us. I changed jobs shortly thereafter, and also insurance. I'm a real nut on privacy issues as a result of that horrific experience.
~terry
Wed, Mar 4, 1998 (06:01)
#2
That's awful. What an excample of the excess of telemarketers run amok.
I got a telemarketer call last night telling me I had won $500 and I had
to go somewhere to pick up my prize money, I conference called them to
the Attorney Generals Office of Consumer Protection and listened while
they explained why this wasn't a scam to the AGs office. It made for
some interesting listening. When I do this, the telemarketers tend to
cross me off their list. Maybe I'll get on a list of people *not* to
telemarket!
~EmpZoltar
Wed, Mar 4, 1998 (06:30)
#3
How cool! I've got to try that. I ususlly just give the old "I'm sorry, but we don't accept telephone solicitations. Please remove us from your call list.", followed with a hangup. If they seem inclined to argue, and I'm in a foul mood, I stay on the
line and get abusive, but the polite approach seems to work, most of the time. One telemarketer got kind of huffy with me, first insisting he wasn't soliciting anything, then, when I got scarcastic, told me, "There's really no call to speak to me like th
t." I informed him that, as he had called my house, I was entitled to speak to him as I chose, at which point I ripped him a new one. AG's office - I have _got_ to try it.