'Do not call' list blocked by court

CNN Money ^ | September 24, 2003 | Reuters

[rattrap]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. court in Oklahoma has blocked the national "do not call" list that would allow consumers to stop most unwanted telephone sales calls, the Direct Marketing Association said on Wednesday.

The U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City said the Federal Trade Commission overstepped its authority when it set up the popular anti-telemarketing measure, according to the DMA.

[rattrap]

Ugh! i hope this gets straightened out. this is bad news.

[balrog666]

The FTC had signed up some 50 million phone numbers for the list, which was due to take effect on Oct. 1.

And given the list to the Telemarketers Association.

Now they have 50 million verified names and phone numbers. What a great scam!!

[NautiNurse]

Joining the list is strictly voluntary. That should count for something.

[The Brush]

I guess Americans need to take a more pro-active stance when they receive phone calls that they obviously don't want.
Perhaps a "national reply" is needed so these companies will take numbers off their lists voluntarily rather than to hire people to listen to the same comment over and over again before they are hung up on.

[rattrap]

D'OH!

[azhenfud]

"The U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City said the Federal Trade Commission overstepped its authority when it set up the popular anti-telemarketing measure, according to the DMA.

The FTC had signed up some 50 million phone numbers for the list, which was due to take effect on Oct. 1."

One court against 50 million. It's time to take the court to task....

[Publius6961]

A U.S. court in Oklahoma has blocked the national "do not call" list that would allow consumers to stop most unwanted telephone sales calls, the Direct Marketing Association said on Wednesday.

Oklahoma??
Oklahoma?

I thought only California had weirdo federal courts. What's going on?

[Martin Tell]

Perhaps those of us with free long distance can exercise our First Amendment rights and let the court know how we feel by calling them at (405)609-5000. Be sure and call frequently, preferably at mealtimes when they are short-handed.

[capt. norm]

This will give our congressmen and senators a very popular bill to send through......and go around taking credit for, ad nauseum.

[GSWarrior]

What does the court think about blasting heavy metal music into the phone when 'unavailable' shows up in caller ID?

[Orangedog]

Anyone know the name of the robed thug, er, I mean judge?

[Martin Tell]

only California had weirdo federal courts. What's going on?

Oklahoma is telemarketer heaven; lots of them are based there due to the central location, lack of "good" jobs, and the fact that the locals are Midwestern (no "accent").

[Constitution Day]

Oh well!

Time to get the bullhorn out again! It helps to get my point across.

[js1138]

Perhaps those of us with free long distance can exercise our First Amendment rights and let the court know how we feel by calling them at (405)609-5000.

[joesnuffy]

This bites the big one....

This dang calling till 9PM and during the day & even on Sat irks the heck outta me

It is like having door to door salesmen showing up at your house day after day right at supper time ringing the door bell till either you or the answering machine picks up....and this even after ya told the sob not to come to your house anymore...someone needs to invent a digital pit bull to sic on these poopie heads

Heaven help you if you are expecting an important call from a loved one...a sick relative...the hospital etc...you are obliged to "pick up" and there they are...

And of course a black robed jack booted thug wannabe is there to force it on you..

[Orangedog]

I pay an extra $3 a month to keep those calls from even reaching me. The ones that don't block ID and get through (the numbers I don't recognize) get to talk to my answering machine...the one that took a lightning strike in July and the outgoing message plays so slow that you can't understand it.

[RJL]

Perhaps those of us with free long distance can exercise our First Amendment rights and let the court know how we feel by calling them at (405)609-5000. Be sure and call frequently, preferably at mealtimes when they are short-handed.

I called and expressed my opinion on this decision, I hope thousands and thousands more do the same.

[Arrowhead1952]

Would these idiots be kin to the 9th circus court in Kalifornia by chance?

[RLK]

What the court has blicked is essentially an anti-trespassing measure that applied to phone lines, thus depriving the American people of private property rights and control over their own lives.

[RLK]

Typos: What the court has blocked is essentially an anti-trespassing measure that applied to intrusion into their lives through phone lines, thus depriving the American people of private property rights
and control over their own lives.