| Comment Number: | OL-109688 |
| Received: | 12/10/2004 10:31:16 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Bruce Train |
| State: | CA |
| Subject: | Trade Regulation Rule on Telemarketing Sales |
| Title: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| CFR Citation: | 16 CFR Part 310 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
1. I'm an ordinary homeowner/consumer, and I strenuously object to making it cheaper to make telemarketing calls by permitting pre-recorded messages from callers claiming the "established business relationship" safe harbor. This safe harbor is already too broad and permits numerous solicitations that amount to harassment and invasion of privacy. If there really is an established business relationship, then a call in person is appropriate to address issues in that relationship. If the vendor is using a computer generated message, it makes it cheaper and therefore more likely that the message will be a solicitation -- and I put my telephone numbers on the Do Not Call LIst to avoid solicitations. 2. On the FTC web page on which I am entering these comments, you identify a second issue related to the Do Not Call list as to which you seek public comments. I could not figure out from your description of the issue what is going on. Therefore, I also object to your claiming to seek public input when you structure the request for that input in a manner that is incomprehensible. Since I don't understand what is being requested, I object to your adopting the change requested by the Direct Marketing Association. I do this on the assumption that the DMA is seeking it to make it easier to make solicitations -- precisely what I don't want. I would like the FTC to do everything it can to make it more difficult to make solicitations. The reason I put my telephone numbers on the Do Not Call list is to put an end to solicitations.