| Comment Number: | OL-104487 |
| Received: | 11/29/2004 12:19:07 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Daniel McClelland |
| State: | OR |
| Subject: | Trade Regulation Rule on Telemarketing Sales |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 310 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
The proposed change undermines the intent of the original program. I and millions of other citizens agree that this program in its current form is beneficial to our daily lives. Allowing pre-recorded phone spam to directly market people who have already publically announced their desire to not be marketed over the phone is absurd. If anything, the public has made it clear that they want less advertising over the phone, not more. I diligently work to opt-out of such advertisements for even the companies I have done business with. This rule change would likely require me to go back through each company to opt-out of this particular method of advertising. I still get the occasional pre-recorded message in violation of my do-not call preference or because the call is run by a non-profit. In nearly every instance after I hang up the phone line is tied up for the duration of the call. These calls are, if anything, more frustrating than normal sales calls because you cannot request information from the caller on their privacy practices much less ask to opt-out. Instead, one must call some poorly-staffed line, fend off scripted sales pitches, and slog through a time-consuming process to convince someone that a request to opt-out is sincere. Can the FTC please explain why this rule change will make the Registry better for the citizens who have joined?