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June 30, 2003
National Do Not Call List
Have you heard of the new "Do Not Call" list that has been created by the FTC? President Bush kicked it off on Friday, and since then over 10 million people have signed up.
Here are a few good articles:
Anti-Telemarketing List Opens for Registration
Thousands Sign Up for Anti-Telemarketing List
10 Million Sign Up for 'Do Not Call' List
Now, I know this all sounds great. No more dinner-time interruptions, no more people mispronouncing your name when you answer the phone, and no more people wasting your cell phone minutes to sell you something you don't need. However, does anyone agree with me that this is a violation of first amendment rights?
It looks like the government has gone to great lengths to keep charities and non-profit organizations off the list, but according to a recent survey, many people are saying they'd like the list to cover all telemarketers and that they'd like similar programs instituted for spam email.
The problem happens when you try to draw the line between what is telemarketing and what isn't. Could girl scouts get fined for calling people to sell cookies? Could I get fined someday for sending my friend an email? I think door-to-door salesmen are even more annoying than telemarketers. Will the government stop allowing those people to do their jobs, too?
The fact is, we all have to make a living somehow, and telemarketing (as strange as this seems) is an inexpensive and effective way for businesses to find customers. What would you do if the government made laws against the way you make your living?
Posted by Joey at June 30, 2003 04:54 AM
Comments
I'm not sure whether a "do-not-call" list is a violation of first ammendment rights, but it certainly has problems. The FEDERAL government should not have gotten involved with this one--it seems like a waste of their time and a stretch of their power. (I still love my country and support my president, however (usa).)
I truly feel bad for those, as you mention, who have lost or will lose their jobs because they work as telemarketers. Most of those people have a hard time finding work elsewhere. :(
For now, the law appears to apply only to companies that have no recent business with the person they are calling. Will it later be extended to charitable, religious, or community institutions? Which of the following lists would be the worst:
"do-not-knock"
"do-not-mail"
"do-not-email"
"do-not-popup"
"do-not-show-ads-on-my-tv-or-play-ads-on-my-radio" ;)
Some of those could lead to the end of missionary work, Boy Scout drives, and school program fund-raising as we know them! We'll be like all the other countries that don't allow anyone to go door to door.
Does this law come from a lack of patience and charity in the American people? I, too, get annoyed with the credit card offers, etc. Can people like me learn to turn the other cheek?
Posted by: steve at July 5, 2003 04:34 AM