| Comment Number: | OL-100009 |
| Received: | 11/18/2004 7:41:06 PM |
| Organization: | |
| Commenter: | Charles Summers, III |
| State: | PA |
| 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 must respectfully comment that this is one of the dumbest ideas the FCC has come up with yet. The overwhelming response to the national Do-Not-Call list has proven beyond any shadow of a doubt that the arguments of the telemarketing industry, that we as a nation "desire" to be bothered and annoyed by telemarketers at every turn, are completely bogus. Expanding the ability of, say, someone we purchase a cup of coffee from to telemarket us with pre-records to sell us burgers and fries (not at all beyond the scope of this document; since more and more fast food restaurants are accepting credit cards, a PBR can be proven easily) is inexcusable. Let me briefly tell you how _I_ consider the situation. My home is my own. I pay for my telephone line. Therefore, I have the _right_ to determine who may and may not enter my home through the instrument; those on the outside DO NOT have the right to enter uninvited. Any suggestion that this is a "free speech" issue is a blind; you certainly have the right to stand on a soapbox in the park and shout whatever foolishness you wish, but you DO NOT have the right to forcibly enter my home to deliver your opinions...or your sales pitches. Allowing telemarketing companies to more easily annoy with either live or pre-recorded calls the millions of people who have made it completely clear we are NOT INTERESTED in being bothered is the theoretical equivalent of the government promoting virtual breaking-and-entering in the name of commercial speech. I would go so far as to suggest you _tighten_ restrictions on telemarketing, not loosen them, ending with the idea of an opt-IN list intead of an opt-OUT one...a list of those people interersted in receiving telemarketing calls, be they pre-records or live. The telemarketing industry, of course, cries foul when confronted with this idea, claiming that no one would bother opting-IN to such a list. Rather makes my point for me, doesn't it? Submitted respectfully, Charles Summers, III