09/11/98

Protecting Your Privacy

... in response to "The Telltale Pizza"

Phone solicitors represent the most annoying invasion of privacy to consumers. Especially worrisome are the many ways that complete strangers can gain access to an individual's address, telephone and social security numbers. SNET readers describe invasive tactics they've encountered and suggest some preventive strategies:

Beyond Pizza -- the Reverse Phone Book Feature

"Carry the pizza scenario one step further. Suppose the pizza place hires young Billy to wait on tables and hand out the takeout orders. Billy becomes infatuated with a young woman who comes in for take-out regularly and easily obtains her phone number.

"Being a "geek" type, he accesses the Web, goes to the Lycos search-engine page and makes his way to the section that provides the reverse phone book feature. He types in her number and the search engine supplies her address and draws a map of where she lives. By clicking on another point on the page, Billy can also obtain a list of the names of her neighbors.

"Privacy? There is not much of it left."

Request Confidentiality in Writing

"This is a subject that is close to my heart. I gave up having an unlisted phone number when I realized that solicitors just call numbers in sequence anyway. Recently a telemarketer started her introduction with, "Our staff (computer) has chosen you as a qualified homeowner to receive ..." I had to stop her with a laugh, saying that her staff must not do a very good job, because I rent.

"I have begun to write, "please do not rent or sell this information" on anything I fill out, from the doctor's forms to contest entries. Some days I don't get any mail at all, and it's glorious. On line, I worry about the email services and web site shopping. Even if the site is secure, the personal server may not be.

"Most people think it's harmless. Co-workers of mine love caller ID and *69, so they can call "hang-ups" and berate them. They don't see that it opens the door to so much more."

On the Other Hand ...

"I own a Domino's Pizza franchise that has information about our customers. We don't see it as detrimental to the population's privacy. We use our system for convenience. It helps us weed out crank phone callers and helps us inform customers when to expect their order. I could do everything manually, but that would make my costs go up, costs which would be passed on to the consumer.

"I like greeting my customers with personal touches and even though I may never actually "see" them, I do have an important relationship with them."

Refuse to Supply Identifying Numbers

"Privacy is something to be cherished and protected. There are way too many unscrupulous people out there to make our lives an "open book." When my husband and I grew up, we were taught that our social security number was ours and to protect it. Now it seems everybody and their brother asks for that number and then uses it to identify us -- even on a mailing label.

"I truly resent my name being sold to fifty different companies. We need to be aware that most people do not have the right to all the information they ask for. And we need to be strong enough to tell them that that information is private."

Get on the "Do Not Call" List

"To cut down on annoying phone solicitations, ask to be placed on the "do not call" list. It sometimes takes 30 to 60 days, depending on the solicitor, but they have to abide by your wish not to be contacted -- BY LAW.

"If you keep a record and can prove that you have been re-contacted, the solicitor is subject to fines and other penalties."

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.