Canada’s National Do Not Call Registry -- Back in Business?
David Fraser over at the Canadian Privacy Law Blog notes the much-anticipated National Do Not Call Registry went live this past Tuesday, in a post that links to prior blog commentary and essential resources on the topic.
By all accounts, the vast majority of people trying to register that first day -- either on the website or via the 1-800 number -- were out of luck. The website crashed and callers were faced with multiple-hour waits, if they got through at all.
Sounds familiarly like my iPhone purchase experience... but I digress...
Of the downed service, CRTC spokesman Denis Carmel said, “We're victims of our own success”. On the other hand, Michael Geist called it, “an inauspicious start, to say the least.”
Fraser also mentions iOptOut, an initiative spearheaded by Geist, which allows “Canadians to create and manage a personal do-not-call list that begins where do-not-call list ends.” I haven't signed up with iOptOut yet, but it does sound intriguing.
Both the Registry and iOptOut websites seem to be back up today, and with any luck, the rush is now over... While it remains to be seen just how many unsolicited phone calls will be blocked once a number is registered, I think I feel like most Canadians: finally having some options is a good thing.
A spam free phone environment at supper time? I'm not getting my hopes up. I hear there might be some exception to the rules...
By all accounts, the vast majority of people trying to register that first day -- either on the website or via the 1-800 number -- were out of luck. The website crashed and callers were faced with multiple-hour waits, if they got through at all.
Sounds familiarly like my iPhone purchase experience... but I digress...
Of the downed service, CRTC spokesman Denis Carmel said, “We're victims of our own success”. On the other hand, Michael Geist called it, “an inauspicious start, to say the least.”
Fraser also mentions iOptOut, an initiative spearheaded by Geist, which allows “Canadians to create and manage a personal do-not-call list that begins where do-not-call list ends.” I haven't signed up with iOptOut yet, but it does sound intriguing.
Both the Registry and iOptOut websites seem to be back up today, and with any luck, the rush is now over... While it remains to be seen just how many unsolicited phone calls will be blocked once a number is registered, I think I feel like most Canadians: finally having some options is a good thing.
A spam free phone environment at supper time? I'm not getting my hopes up. I hear there might be some exception to the rules...
posted by Steve Matthews at 10/02/2008
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