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** ** ** *** POLICY POST
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** ** ** *** May 8, 1995
** ** ** *** Number 12
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CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY
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A briefing on public policy issues affecting civil liberties online
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CDT POLICY POST Number 12 May 8, 1995
CONTENTS: (1) FCC Modifies Caller ID Policy
(2) About the Center for Democracy and Technology
This document may be re-distributed freely provided it remains in its
entirety.
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SUBJECT: FCC MODIFIES CALLER ID POLICY
On Thursday, May 4, 1995, the Federal Communications Commission voted to
approve national Caller ID rules requiring carriers to provide "a free,
simple and consistent, per call blocking and unblocking mechanism." In
addition, under the new rules carriers are permitted to extend per-line
blocking options selected by consumers for intrastate calls, to the
consumers interstate calls. This action reverses an earlier rule adopted
in March 1994, that required separate systems for intrastate and interstate
calls. The Commissions earlier rules allowed for per-call blocking only.
The new rules take effect December 1, 1995.
The Center for Democracy and Technology supports the new FCC policy on Caller
ID. Caller ID or Automatic Number Identification (ANI) is a device that
displays to a recipient of a call the telephone number of an incoming call
while the phone is ringing.
The introduction of Caller ID technology sparked an emotional and divisive
debate. The unlimited use of Caller ID threatened to place the privacy rights
of the individual in his or her capacity as maker and receiver of telephone
calls in tension. Civil liberties organizations were quick to point out that
technology was available to honor the privacy right of the consumer in their
capacity as both the sender and recipient of phone calls. Civil liberties
organizations stated that through blocking users of telephones could be given
control over information. For the caller, blocking allows them to choose when
and to whom to release their phone number. For the recipient, blocking provides
receivers with information that an incoming caller does not want their phone
number revealed. Additional features can allow recipients of phone calls to
choose whether or not to refuse all incoming calls that employ blocking, send
blocked calls to voice mail or answering machine, or exercise their option to
answer or not answer the unidentified call on a per call basis.
The latest FCC policy responds to the dual civil liberty concerns of respecting
and protecting the individual caller's privacy expectations, and respecting the
important privacy interest of the receiver to limit intrusions by unknown, or
unwanted callers.
THE NEW FCC POLICY:
1. Where a customer selects per-line blocking for in-state calls the new policy
permits that choice to extend to interstate calls as well;
2. Permits customers to prohibit the transmission of Caller ID information -
number, name, location - at all times, but on a per-call basis choose to
release the information by using the code *82.
3. Binds states without Caller ID and blocking regulations to federal privacy
protection models, which require per-calling blocking through the use of
code *67.
CDT commends the FCC for issuing a policy that encourages technological
development that maximizes individual choice and affirms individuals' expectations
of privacy.
For More Information Contact:
Janlori Goldman, Deputy Director
Deirdre Mulligan, Staff Counsel
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(2) ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DEMOCRACY AND TECHNOLOGY
The Center for Democracy and Technology is a non-profit public interest
organization. The Center's mission is to develop and advocate public
policies that advance constitutional civil liberties and democratic
values in new computer and communications technologies.
Contacting us:
General information on CDT can be obtained by sending mail to
CDT has set up the following auto-reply aliases to keep you informed on the
Communications Decency Act issue.
For information on the bill, including
CDT's analysis and the text of Senator
Leahy's alternative proposal and
information on what you can do to
help -- cda-info@cdt.org
For the current status of the bill,
including scheduled House and
Senate action (updated as events
warrant) -- cda-stat@cdt.org
World-Wide-Web:
http://www.cdt.org/
ftp:
ftp://ftp.cdt.org/pub/cdt/
gopher:
CDT's gopher site is still under construction and should be operational
soon.
snail mail:
Center For Democracy and Technology
1001 G Street, NW Suite 700 East
Washington, DC 20001
voice: +1.202.637.9800
fax: +1.202.637.9800
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