| Comment Number: | OL-100693 |
| Received: | 11/27/2004 12:50:38 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Robert Barr |
| State: | IL |
| 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 strongly oppose any measure that could possibly permit the telemarketing industry to increase automated telephone calling. Abandoned calls are already reaching my private home in numbers that are certainly illegal, but there is obviously no enforcement of existing standards. The industry clearly cannot be trusted to comply with any self-enforcement as it is; if given greater leeway, they will breach those limits as well, to the extent they feel possible. There is no way the industry can be trusted to regulate its automated systems. They themselves have demonstrated this, beyond any doubt, for decades on end. The DNC list exists purely because of excess on behalf of the telemarketing industry, and because of their scorn of anything resembling respect for the wishes of the general public in matters of privacy. Any weakining of the provisions of the DNC will be viewed by the industry as an open invitation to return to business as usual. In my opinion, the placing of ANY abandoned call should be a federal felony. A rate of three percent represents a huge number of people being intruded upon, and is not excusable under any circumstances. ONE PERCENT is unacceptable. The arguments for these changes are of course entirely in the favor of the telemarketing industry. This industry has proven to be utterly, entirely without credibility, and any loosening of the DNC represents a betrayal of the public trust.