| Comment Number: | OL-103039 |
| Received: | 11/28/2004 4:43:59 AM |
| Organization: | Consumer |
| Commenter: | Samuel Hill |
| State: | TX |
| Subject: | Trade Regulation Rule on Telemarketing Sales |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 310 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
I am writing to you to state my unadulterated opposition to any proposal allowing companies to deliver 'pre-recorded message telemarketing' calls to individuals registered in the National Do Not Call List. It is my understanding that Mr. Allen Hile, of the FTC's division of marketing practice, has proposed a measure allowing pre-recorded marketing messages from companies "...only to their existing customers or those with which they already have business relationships" as a way of bringing FTC rules in line with those of the FCC, and which would require subsequent "opting-out" from each company's canned screed. The wording "with whom the seller on whose behalf the calls are made has an established business relationship" is unnecessarily vague, open to (mis)interpretation and ripe for abuse. I should not have to "opt-out" of answering machine spam, after opting-in for five years of blessed silence. Should I desire further contact from a business or individual after a transaction I will tell them at the time, or contact them subsequently. I do not want them deciding to do so for me. Addtionally, what guarantee does the consumer have that this measure won't result in a flood of calls, totally unregulated by any United States agency? With virtually free internet calling allowing any technically competent person in any third world banana republic to set up an anwering machine sweatshop outside the reach of American laws, I shudder to think what our futures could be. This measure is less than contemptible, a sell out of the American public, and needs to be killed without further delay. Most sincerely, Sam Hill