Tell the FCC you don't want robo-voicemail, spammy direct-to-voicemail messages

Discussion in 'privacy problems' started by ronjor, Jun 4, 2017.

  1. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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  2. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

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    This request is so totally meritless its hard to see The FCC granting it. Granting it would also require a good deal of stretching of the statutory language. There is absolutely zero public good in the proposal.

    Under The Statute [Telephone Consumer Protection Act 47 U.S.C. § 227] in order to exempt such calls The FCC would have to make a finding of fact that such calls are 1) "...are not made for a commercial purpose;.." and 2) "do not include the transmission of any unsolicited advertisement;"

    I doubt even Pai's extreme view of a"light touch" approach to regulation would claim that a private-for-profit organization has a right to harrass and stuff the voicemail boxes of telephone customers.

    Not only would consumers mailboxes become full and therefore useless -- one would have to wade through a stuffed mailbox to hear if there were any valid messages. I can't imagine the large telecoms not coming out against this.

    hawki's opinion is that If The FCC does grant this outrageous request, it's time to throw in the towel and call it a lifetime.

    Thanks for informing The Forum of this matter.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2017
  3. Circuit

    Circuit Registered Member

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    Talking or complaining to the FCC is just about the same as asking telemarketers to stop calling me.
    Do-not-call list is just about useless.
    I use "CPR Call Blocker" and 99% of junk calls are block, great product.
    I know this post is about voice-mail, but they are just about the same.
     
  4. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

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    We will have to wait and see if Chairman Pai is able to find a basis for a different point of view from his predecessor, Chairman Tom Wheeler, on this one too:

    Dated 8/9/16:

    "FCC’s Robocall Strike Force Kicks Into Action Today

    Last month, after FCC Chair Tom Wheeler called on the telecom industry to finally do something about the nuisance of pre-recorded, auto-dialed robocalls...

    'Americans are fed up,' began Wheeler. 'Robocalls are a scourge. It’s the number one complaint that we hear from consumers on a daily basis,' with more than 200,000 gripes being filed with the FCC each year — and that’s just from the very small number of people who take the time to file a complaint.

    'Americans have a right to be fed up,' continued the Chair. 'It’s an invasion of privacy, rife with fraud and identity theft… The bad guys are beating the good guys with technology.'... "

    https://consumerist.com/2016/08/19/fccs-robocall-strike-force-kicks-into-action-today/

    Hopefully we won't hear Pai arguing that a ban on ringless robo-calls has put a damper on brodband/wireless investment and stifled innovation.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2017
  5. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    Perhaps there's a market for third-party voicemail. I can imagine a couple mechanisms that would block at least some of this. One, add a Turing test. In your voicemail greeting, say:
    1. Please state your name.
    2. Wait five seconds.
    3. What number can I reach you at?
    4. Wait ten seconds.
    5. Please record your message.
    6. Wait five seconds.
    7. Please say "Done".
    Any message without those gaps (within a few seconds) would get deleted.

    Two, implement antispam. Something like:
    • in my address book => allow
    • no caller id, or not in my address book => delete
     
  6. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    I don't like it. The article encourages you to submit public comments on the situation to the FCC. These comments require you to submit your address, which according to this comment at the bottom of the form will go public:

    "Note: You are filing a document into an official FCC proceeding. All information submitted, including names and addresses, will be publicly available via the web."
     
  7. ronjor

    ronjor Global Moderator

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  8. Palancar

    Palancar Registered Member

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    I see a money making opportunity for a coder: Android/Mac write an app that will block ringless voicemail, or at least delete any ringless voicemail after it shows up in the mailbox. Surely Samsung, or IPhone, etc... would be allowed to configure a user option to stop ringless voicemail on their device? The decision would be left to the user of the device so it would be their right to exercise the option.
     
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