From: kkwast@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kevin A. Kwast)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk
Subject: CallerID and CyberSex
Date: 21 Dec 92 17:47:54 GMT
Reply-To: kkwast@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kevin A. Kwast)
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX
Originator: kkwast@sylvester.cc.utexas.edu

CallerID is a ploy by businesses and the phone company to both make money
and take away our privacy.  Take, for instance, that a service as simple
as Caller Return will cost you $3 or $4 a month.  When Southwestern Bell
begins full Caller ID service (which isn't going to cost SWB any addt'l
money) and rationalize charging customers $10 a month to take advantage
of that service.  Then there is the addt'l charge per month if you want
your ID blocked.  It's a big telco moneymaker.

Businesses like to have Caller ID because they know who you are.  800
numbers have become so incredibly popular among businesses and sales
companies because THEY KNOW WHO YOU ARE.  If you call a company to ask
for information on a service, if they have a 800 #, they can call you
back and pester you.  They can add a phone number to their mailing list.
In some areas, Caller ID will be providing addresses, so they have your
address as well.. local businesses would LOVE to have this information
without having to have the 800 #.  If the telco in your area turns on
Caller ID information, do you want to have to pay for a service to block
your information from going onto everyone's mailing list?

This is a little known fact, but Ross Perot's 800 # system tied directly
into a huge database provided to him by a company which specializes in
mailing list information, and callers who did not want to leave their
name and address for him to add you to his list would be added courtesy
of this database.  Callers who did leave information would be added to
his list and make sure their record was up-to-date.  If you have ever
called an 800 #, or esp. ordered something, then you have voluntarily
placed yourself into these databases.  Do you want that occurring
locally?  Especially with telco's predicting Caller ID providing a main
name, spouse/children names, address, and a digitized PICTURE in five
years?  I don't want to have to withhold information from the telco,
or pay them to refrain from giving it away.. privacy in the home is
VERY important, and anyone should be able to call from their home in
complete privacy.  The person being called has made their number
available to be called, and they have the power to make their number
unavailable.  So no more whining about wanting to know who is calling you.
LESS PEOPLE YOU FIND ANNOYING WOULD CALL YOU IF YOUR NUMBER WASN'T
BEING GIVEN AWAY TO EVERYONE YOU CALL. Many areas offer a distinctive
ring service which will give you a second number that rings differently
on the same line.  This is a cheap service, and an easy way to get a
second number which only your friends/family will know.  If the phone
rings normally, you know it isn't anyone all that important, and you
can decide not to answer it.

Privacy is the root of American freedom.  Ten miles from my house there
is a narcotics stop going on *right now* (they are reporting on it
on the news right now) where every 20th car is being searched for
offensive materials.  We are losing that freedom.. don't lose another.

kevin




-- 
                                                        o
   kkwast@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Kevin Kwast)             /*\       *Merry*
   peace, love, and the network always..              /%#@\    *Christmas*
                                                      ~~I~~