Don’t Call Me
If you live in Massachusetts, you can register with the state government for a “don’t call” list that supposedly will cut down on the unsolicited phone calls you receive. It goes into effect on April 1. (Hmm, I don’t think I like the sound of that.) The privacy policy says:
Only the last name and telephone number that you provide as a consumer registering for the Do Not Call Registry will be provided to telemarketers registered with the MA Do Not Call Program. Telemarketers may not reuse that information for any purpose other than removing your telephone number from their calling lists.
Oh, I’m sure we can trust telemarketers not to abuse a list of known-to-be-working phone numbers…
Nevertheless, I signed up. You can, too, here or, if that doesn’t work, try here.
we have something similar in the UK, we used to get fax machines calling us in the middle of the night, etc. Since we’ve been on the register we haven’t had a single unsolicited call. And our number is in the phonebook, not ex-directory.
having said that, I bet I get a call from a manic depressive double glazing appointment maker.
I signed up for Colorado’s No-Call List (described here). Our no-call listing took effect on November 1st, and I have to say that it has been very effective. Companies with whom we already do business can legally call us, but they’ve backed off from their telemarketing. We’ve received no calls from the companies that used to telemarket to us regularly and with whom we do not do business. As 2002 drew to a close, a number of people complained that charitable organizations still call for donations relatively aggressively, but at least business marketers weren’t calling as well.
The state has already sued several telemarketers who called people on the no-call list. There’ll be a First Amendment challenge to the law soon, and we’ll see what happens then. For now, though, I have to say that as a telephone service consumer I’m very happy with the law.