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The Forum > Article Comments > Tele-harassment > Comments

Tele-harassment : Comments

By Jonathan J. Ariel, published 11/5/2007

Do Not Call register: why didn’t Senator Coonan simply hang up on telemarketers?

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If ‘subscribers’ think that politicians will not use what will become another list of suckers, they are sadly naïve. The very fact that politicians and their pollsters will be exempt from the strictures of this silly do-not-call register is just so obvious.

We all know that Gunga Din from Delhi is not going to take any notice of this ‘wonderful’ initiative of Coonan’s; and the local wimps are easily put off by a simple hanging up of the ‘phone. By simply hanging up, without a word, on people I don’t know and don’t want to know, I have reduced calls to a trickle; I go weeks and months without them. Or, I had done so until I recently caught my wife listening to these dogs and politely saying ‘no thankyou’ to them.

Rudeness, if you want to call protecting your privacy from unwanted, inconvenient ‘phone calls that, is the only way to deal with the real rudeness of sellers and beggars imposing on you.

I might now, for a while, have to do a little more hanging up, thanks to my wife’s niceness ( I think she does it to make up for me, bless her) but it works.

Australia is a great country to live in, unless you are a victim of crime, hasslers and other dogs intent on interfering with your life.

The ‘authorities’ don’t want to know. This ratty register is a joke. Hang up on the buggers. They soon get the message, even if they are calling from the sub-Continent.

Fight rude with rude.
Posted by Leigh, Friday, 11 May 2007 11:28:34 AM
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Telemarketing is a billion dollar industry in Australia that empoys tens of thousands of people, generally with few qualifications.

Many people rely on this income as their primary income, so i hope people dont forget that when blokes like leigh say 'hang up on the buggers'.

No matter who you are, abuse or rudeness does have an effect on them as individuals.

The indian ones etc are a different kettle of fish, but before everyone goes on bagging them just remember it is a legit industry.

Hell i have bought some good things from unsolicitored phone calls by the way, im glad they called or i would never have had the offer. How is it different from an ad on tv? the only thing is it is more interpersonal.

This list is a farce that will not change much at all. By calling from a private number the customer may be on the do not call list and if they are they cannot trace it.

So in effect, nothing will change at all. What a joke
Posted by Realist, Friday, 11 May 2007 11:57:48 AM
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It's true nobody likes harassment from telemarketers, but that isn't to say they don't have the right to market their goods in that way.

Not many people are keen on television advertisements either. Doesn't mean we should ban em.

I reckon the register's a good way to go.

As for it being used for nefarious political purposes, the way I see it, unless it's a method of grouping a particular demographic it's pretty useless. People who don't like telemarketers are a bit broad. As it stands, how's it different to a phone book? Sure, there's unlisted numbers... but I don't really see practical political uses for that.
So while I don't think it's beyond government to do something like that, I can't help but feel this is just another conspiracy theory. Nothing quite as easy or fun as 'gummint-bashing' is there, but really... sometimes I think you've gotta take stock of what's likely.
Posted by TurnRightThenLeft, Friday, 11 May 2007 12:17:40 PM
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Realist, "How is it different from an ad on tv? the only thing is it is more interpersonal."

I can fairly safely make the assumption that I can have my TV (and radio) turned off at any given time with little risk that I will miss anything which I immediately need to know about. If I'm preparing dinner and an ad comes on I don't need to leave my preperations to find out if it's an ad I want to hear.

Ad's don't go blank if I happen to watch them because they are set up to leave a message on a VCR rather than with me.

Telemarketting is very different to ads on the TV or radio. To determine if it is a friend calling or an ad I have to interupt what I'm doing.

I do regular on call for my work and have to be available by phone for that, I have elderly parents and a son who is sometimes with his mum so turning off phones is not such a viable option as turning off the TV.

A Do call regisister would be good. Likewise extended options on the Do not call register. The option to shut out politicians and other groups we don't want calls from.

I've got a no junk mail sign on my mail box which is mostly respected. The bulk of exceptions are from real estate agents and politicians.

R0bert
Posted by R0bert, Friday, 11 May 2007 12:35:39 PM
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I see your point to a degree Robert, but advertising is advertising.

Whether direct, indirect, passive or aggressive, advertising makes an offer and we decide what to accept.

We recieve thousands of messages and 'offers' per day. Whats a couple more.

Id rather know that this form of advertising employs more people than most others, so how can it be bad? Its easy to say no thankyou.

At least you can get your questions answered aswell if any arise as you have someone there to answer them.

Anyone can ring me at anytime, lets be fair dinkum here, its good that aussie battlers get a wage out of it. (My mother included)

And if everyone hates it so much, why does it continue to work? Why is it one of the most powerful forms of marketing? Why? because people find convenience and value in it, which sets it apart from having to find the time for you to go to the product/service yourself.

The list will make no difference whatsoever. I actually personally hate the charity ones as you feel obligated more than a standard product/service, but thats me.
Posted by Realist, Friday, 11 May 2007 2:59:22 PM
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Interesting views from everyone here.

I generally agree with the writer. I've always thought the "opt-in" approach should also be applied to junk mail - ie, that a "Junk Mail Please" sign be required to allow junk mail, rather than a "no junk mail" sign to disallow it. "No junk mail" signs tend to often be ignored or just go unnoticed (at least in my case). With similar exemptions for non-commercial mail, I think this would provide a substantial reduction in waste paper.

What strikes me as odd about the exemptions for the do not call register is that religious groups are amongst them. I can see that a religious group making calls for a charitable cause should be exempt, but it seems this is already covered by the exemption of "charities or charitable institutions". So, what types of non-charity calls are churches making that we shouldn't have the right to block our number from? (I don't have a home phone, and I only very rarely receive junk calls on my mobile, so I've not got personal experience on this)
Posted by Jordan147, Friday, 11 May 2007 3:58:43 PM
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