[comp.org.ieee] Telephone Electronic Junk Mail

vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert E. Van Cleef) (04/10/89)

In California, there already is a law regulating Junk calls from
electronic systems.  All computer generated calls are required to
be proceded by a live introduction and the receiver's approval is
required before you can connect the computer interviewer.

Unfortunately, as they don't heavily advertise the existance of
this law (actually, I believe it is a utilities commission 
regulation) very few people register complaint when they get
an unsolicited computer call.

Bob

brian@apt.UUCP (Brian Litzinger) (04/11/89)

From article <1772@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, by vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert E. Van Cleef):
> ... All computer generated calls are required to
> be proceded by a live introduction and the receiver's approval is
> required before you can connect the computer interviewer.
> 
> ... very few people register complaint when they get
> an unsolicited computer call.

How do I register a complaint with, and how do I identify the
culprit?

The computer generated calls I have received did not identify
themselves in any way.

Seems like Automatic Number Identification (ANI) could fix this
problem.

-brian
<>  Brian Litzinger @ APT Technology Inc., San Jose, CA
<>  UUCP:  {apple,sun,pyramid}!daver!apt!brian    brian@apt.UUCP
<>  VOICE: 408 370 9077      FAX: 408 370 9291

dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson) (04/12/89)

In article <1772@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert E. Van Cleef) writes:
> In California, there already is a law regulating Junk calls from
> electronic systems.  All computer generated calls are required to
> be proceded by a live introduction and the receiver's approval is
> required before you can connect the computer interviewer.


If this applies to ALL computer generated calls, that's too bad. 
We'll miss all those California-based members of the usenet
community whose machnes call each other all day and night exchanging
data.  What a pain -- paying human beings to make live introductions
before switching to DATA mode when the modem calls another modem... 
I doubt many of the folks there will be able to stay "networked" at
such a cost!

-- 
Dave Levenson			/-----------------------------\
Westmark, Inc.			|  If you can't give me your  |
Warren, NJ USA			|  Phone number, don't call!  |
{rutgers | att}!westmark!dave	\-----------------------------/

jeq@laidbak.UUCP (Jonathan E. Quist) (04/12/89)

In article <1193@westmark.UUCP> dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson) writes:
 >In article <1772@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert E. Van Cleef) writes:
 >> In California, there already is a law regulating Junk calls from
 >> electronic systems.  All computer generated calls are required to
 >> be proceded by a live introduction and the receiver's approval is
...
 >If this applies to ALL computer generated calls, that's too bad. 
 >We'll miss all those California-based members of the usenet
 >community whose machnes call each other all day and night exchanging
 >data.  What a pain -- paying human beings to make live introductions
 >before switching to DATA mode when the modem calls another modem... 
...

Except that the act of setting up the connection (phone numbers,
passwords, etc.) implies consent on the part of both parties
to exchange data.

sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (04/14/89)

In article <1193@westmark.UUCP>, dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson) writes:
> In article <1772@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert
E. Van Cleef) writes:
] ] In California, there already is a law regulating Junk calls from
] ] electronic systems.  All computer generated calls are required to
] ] be proceded by a live introduction and the receiver's approval is
] ] required before you can connect the computer interviewer.
] 
] 
] If this applies to ALL computer generated calls, that's too bad. 
] We'll miss all those California-based members of the usenet
] community whose machnes call each other all day and night exchanging
] data.  What a pain -- paying human beings to make live introductions
] before switching to DATA mode when the modem calls another modem... 
] I doubt many of the folks there will be able to stay "networked" at
] such a cost!
]

People seem to be making more out of this than is necessary. The keywords
seem to be 'unsolicited' [in the original posting about ads] and 
'receivers approval' in this case. If you are using a BBS you are giving
you are the one making the call, so if there are ads on the BBS, and you 
don't like them, it is your right not to call that BBS. Like TV.

As far as usenet batch calling, if two computers call each other, they
have each others approval also. That's what the password is for. 


 -- 
John Sparks   |  {rutgers|uunet}!ukma!corpane!sparks | D.I.S.K. 24hrs 1200bps
[not for RHF] |          sparks@corpane.UUCP         | 502/968-5401 thru -5406 
I fear explanations explanatory of things explained.

greg@bilbo (Greg Wageman) (04/15/89)

In article <1193@westmark.UUCP> dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson) writes:
>In article <1772@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert E. Van Cleef) writes:
>> In California, there already is a law regulating Junk calls from
>> electronic systems.  All computer generated calls are required to
>> be proceded by a live introduction and the receiver's approval is
>> required before you can connect the computer interviewer.
>
>If this applies to ALL computer generated calls, that's too bad. 
>We'll miss all those California-based members of the usenet
>community whose machnes call each other all day and night exchanging
>data.

I believe that the key operational word in the bill is UNSOLICITED
calls.  I have no problems if calling my modem without previous
arrangements with me becomes an illegal act.  Every Usenet connection
I know of exists with the prior consent of the owner/administrator of
the system called.

As long as the word "unsolicited" appears in the language of the bill,
Usenetters and other legitimate computer networkers need not fear.

Longish .signature follows.  Skip now, or don't complain.

Greg Wageman			DOMAIN: greg@sj.ate.slb.com
Schlumberger Technologies	UUCP:   ...!uunet!sjsca4!greg
1601 Technology Drive		BIX:    gwage
San Jose, CA 95110-1397		CIS:    74016,352
(408) 437-5198			GEnie:  G.WAGEMAN
------------------
"Live Free; Die Anyway."
------------------
Opinions expressed herein are solely the responsibility of the author.

dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson) (04/16/89)

In article <887@snjsn1.SJ.ATE.SLB.COM>, greg@bilbo (Greg Wageman) writes:
> In article <1193@westmark.UUCP> dave@westmark.UUCP (Dave Levenson) writes:
> >In article <1772@amelia.nas.nasa.gov>, vancleef@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Robert E. Van Cleef) writes:
> >> In California, there already is a law regulating Junk calls from
> >> electronic systems.  All computer generated calls are required...
...
> >If this applies to ALL computer generated calls, that's too bad. 
> >We'll miss all those California-based members of the usenet
> >community whose machnes call each other all day and night exchanging
> >data.

> I believe that the key operational word in the bill is UNSOLICITED
> calls.
...
> As long as the word "unsolicited" appears in the language of the bill,
> Usenetters and other legitimate computer networkers need not fear.


I agree.  But the original posting never mentioned the
word 'unsolicited' anywhere.  It merely stated that in California,
all computer-generated calls must be announced by a live person.  I
posted my original followup in the hopes that someone would either
expand upon the original posting (as Greg has - thank you!) or else
initiate legislation to correct the legislation to make it say what
it probably meant!

-- 
Dave Levenson			/-----------------------------\
Westmark, Inc.			|  If you can't give me your  |
Warren, NJ USA			|  Phone number, don't call!  |
{rutgers | att}!westmark!dave	\-----------------------------/