bridger%rcc@rand.org (Bridger Mitchell) (03/03/90)
The program committee for this year's Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Airlie VA) is interested in including a session dealing with privacy issues. The conference emphasizes the presentation and discussion of new research related to telecommunications policy. Caller ID has generated a lot of discussion, but I am unaware of many more substantive contributions. I wonder if you know of people doing actual research in this area that would be at a presentation stage by the end of the summer? Some specific areas would be: Consumer demand for privacy features -- numbers and growth rates of subscribers to particular CLASS service offerings, pricing and marketing; consumer surveys measuring interest in services and expressed willingness to pay for them. Cutting-edge technological developments for providing privacy, with attention to cost, regulatory, and competitive implications. Legislative and legal proposals and developments that could improve technologies for providing privacy. Assessments of secondary effects of CLASS services -- on telemarketing, abusive calling, answering machines and voice mail service. I will forward a general call for papers to the moderator separately, but would appreciate any leads you might have to researchers on this specific topic. Bridger Mitchell Economics Department The RAND Corporation