"Michael T. Doughney" <MTD%AI.AI.MIT.EDU@mintaka.lcs.mit.edu> (12/24/89)
[The following is from a press release issued 12/19 from "Bonnie Guiton, Special Adviser to the President for Consumer Affairs, and Director, United States Office of Consumer Affairs". Large parts of it address issues seen frequently in TELECOM Digest.] SAFEGUARDING YOUR PRIVACY: TEN WAYS TO KEEP THIS NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION by Bonnie Guiton 1990 begins a new decade that will be marked by quantum leaps in technological innovation. These innovations will certainly benefit consumers; but they also create concerns about the collection, storage and dissemination of personal information and buying habits. You may have seen or read stories about violations of an individual's privacy -- pertaining to financial and credit records or insurance and medical records. What concerns one consumer may not necessarily concern another. But if you are concerned, you can help protect your privacy in a number of ways, and the new year presents a good opportunity to adopt simple, safeguarding habits. Here are the top ten: [Omitted sections 1-4 concerning credit records, medical records, and incentive programs.] TELECOMMUNICATIONS 5) LEARN ABOUT WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY ON THE TELEPHONE Caller ID: You may have been hearing a lot recently about Caller ID. It is New Jersey's version of "automatic number identification" service soon to be offered by local phone companies in several other states. Subscribing to an ANI service allows you to protect yourself from unwanted callers. The caller's number will show up on a read-out device attached to your phone. If you don't recognize a number, you have the choice of answering it or not. If you don't want your own number revealed to those you call, just dial through an operator, or from a public phone. Answering Machines: A "low-tech" version of "Caller ID" is the more familiar answering machine. If phone calls at home are becoming intrusive, an answering machine can be used to screen calls, and may be a worthwhile investment for you. Cellular and Cordless Phones: Cellular and cordless phone conversations are easily monitored -- both intentionally and unintentionally. Be careful that you don't conduct confi- dential conversations on a cellular/cordless phone. 6) ASK TO OPT OUT OF MARKETING PROGRAMS RUN BY COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE 800 AND 900 NUMBERS While the private home use of ANI technology is very new and experimental, the commercial uses of ANI technology are not. Many 800 and 900 number switchboards have the capability of capturing your number and matching it to your name and address to create customer lists. Many companies have legitimate reasons for creating such lists -- to keep track of customer complaints or consumer product inquiries, for example. But some consumers object when the list is sold to marketers without the callers' knowledge or consent. And that is why it is important for you to register your desire to either participate in or opt out of those marketing programs using lists provided by companies you contact. DIRECT MARKETING Many people appreciate direct mail and telephone offers. But businesses have difficulty determining who they're pleasing, and who they're offending, when they conduct sales calls and direct mail promotional campaigns. So they appreciate hearing from potential customers who aren't pleased as much as from those who are. 7) SUBSCRIBE TO THE TELEPHONE PREFERENCE SERVICE (TPS) The Telephone Preference Service is sponsored by the Direct Marketing Association. By notifying TPS that you do not wish to receive telemarketing calls, your name will be struck from the lists of DMA members who participate in the service. For DMA members, the service is a business tool; for all telemarketers combined, 3% of consumers contacted appreciate the calls, while 80% do not. The Telephone Preference Service helps DMA members reach only those consumers who want their offers. Write: DMA Telephone Preference Service, 6 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017 8) DON'T GIVE ANY MORE INFORMATION THAN IS NECESSARY The most simple thing you can do to protect your privacy is to get in the habit of saying "no" to telemarketers you're not familiar with, to those who want more information than you feel is necessary to complete the business at hand, and to those who refuse to send you follow-up explanatory materials. Never give your credit card number over the phone unless you initiated the call, or are completing a transaction with a known vendor. Never give your credit card (or Social Secur- ity) number over the phone for identification purposes only. [Omitted sections 9-10 concerning mailing lists.] By following one or all ten steps and incorporating them as daily consumer habits, you can protect yourself from intrusions of personal privacy in 1990 and beyond, and still enjoy the many benefits of our modern, high-tech marketplace. - end - Note to editors and reporters: Bonnie Guiton is taking the lead for the White House on the issues surrounding consumer privacy. For more information, contact Bonnie Jansen at (202) 634-4310. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mike Doughney, Chief Engineer, UPI Radio Network, Washington, DC (mtd @ ai.ai.mit.edu) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -