Joshua_Putnam <josh@happym.wa.com> (06/26/91)
In <telecom11.482.1@eecs.nwu.edu> john@mojave.ati.com (John Higdon) writes: > On Jun 22 at 19:47, TELECOM Moderator Notes: >> According to Representative Matthew Rinaldo (R-NJ) "The desire of >> people to have privacy in their homes and not be intruded on by >> unwanted calls is not as important as the right of people who wish to >> make calls anonymously." > What an interesting opinion. It would be laughable coming from anyone > who did not have to power to create silly laws to enforce it. > And what if the ability to make anonymous calls had not been a default > aspect of current telephone technology? Would there NOW be laws on the > books to make it that way? Somehow I doubt it. It is the usual > knee-jerk reaction to new technology. The "anonymity as default" argument against Caller-ID always reminds me of the earlier days of telephony (before I was born, but still in living memory) when such a concept of privacy would have been laughed at. A story my grandfather tells may help explain: Vashon Island was (is?) slower than most of Puget Sound in moving into the modern age. Long after telephone calls were completely automated in Seattle, my grandparents had some guests come to dinner from Seattle. Having picked them up at the ferry dock, my grandparents drove back to the house, only to hear the telephone ringing. Of course, the caller had given up by the time they got to the phone. "Too bad," the guests commented, "I suppose they'll call back if it was important." Showing off the advantages of rural life, my grandfather picked up the phone, flashed the switchhook to get the operator's attention, and said, "Hi, it's the Putnams. We just got in the door -- can you get whoever was calling?" "Certainly," the operator replied, and put the call through. Where is the privacy default in that system? (Just in case you wondered: I support Caller-ID, per-line and per-call blocking, and the ability to reject all blocked-ID calls. Businesses should not be able to use Caller-ID info for compiling mailing lists, etc., unless (a) they paid for the call, or (b) they ask and receive permission from the caller. Also, the phone companies should make it very clear that the ID provided is the name/number of the person who owns the phone, not necessarily the person using the phone.) Joshua_Putnam@happym.wa.com Happy Man Corp. 206/463-9399 x102 4410 SW Pt. Robinson Rd., Vashon Island, WA 98070-7399 fax x108 [Moderator's Note: Ah, wonderful Vashon Island. A well-known resident of the island from the same era as your grandfather was Betty McDonald, author of a couple cute books, "The Egg and I", and "The Plague and I". I wonder if your grandfather knew the family? PAT]