Do-Not-Call List Data: $73,000 in Fines, $250 Collected
July 8, 2010
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Episode 271: Taking Stock of a Wild Week in Canadian Digital Policy With the Online Streaming Reversal, AI Strategy Release, and Lawful Access Review
byMichael Geist

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Paltry Fines Are Only Part Of The Story
The rest of the story is that Senator Downe has (anecdotal) evidence that signing up for the DNCL actually results in more telemarketing calls. His observation is supported by the CRTC’s Lynne Fancy in her comments to the CBC here: http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2008/11/27/calling.html in which she states, “People are receiving calls who have not received calls in the past”, making old Konrad with his “urban myth” coverup look like a doddering fool who can’t keep his facts straight.
Australia has implemented a Do Not Call Service which doesn’t allow the list itself into the hands of the crooked telemarketers. The mighty Bell Canada testified on several occasions that they were unable to figure out how to do that, and so we ended up with a downloadable list which invites abuse, making Canada the laughingstock of the telecom world. We used to be a respected player in telecom. How far we have fallen thanks to the CRTC and it’s greedy corporate masters.
The DNCL list is being treated as a joke by major Canadian organizations
In the past weeks, I a recieved call from Bell Canada who responded to my query as why they still call me after I have asked twice in the past to be put on their DNCL that they only keep the requests for 1 year. Just think this company in the gate keeper of the National DNCL. To night I recieved a call from a the University of Western Ontario. If we can not get Canadian Universities to respect OUR rights to privacy then I guess there is NO HOPE.