Correction
Grrr.
In this post, I reported that cell phone providers were on the verge of releasing their customers’ numbers to telemarketing companies. Because that information came to me, via e-mail, from what I took to be a reliable source, I didn’t investigate further and just passed it on as fact. As it turns out, it’s not fact.
According to this Snopes.com report, last updated on May 1, 2005, a consortium of wireless providers is (was?) planning to create a national 411 directory, to be made available sometime in 2006. But the directory will operate on an opt-in basis and telemarketers won’t have access to it. Also according to the report, two cell phone providers are balking at even that: “Verizon Wireless and U.S. Cellular Corp. have always been opposed to the proposed cell phone directory.”
Thinking about it now, I should have realized sooner that the releasing of cell phone numbers to telemarketers would be the subject of widespread media coverage and lots of public disgruntlement. I’m usually more skeptical than this lapse into naivety would suggest. And at any rate, I should have corroborated the information before passing it on.
I very much regret the error. Lesson learned.
Thanks to Jason for the link to the Snopes article.
Most of the credit should be to “ReasonAble” who first said it was an urban legend. After seeing his comment, I went to Snopes and found the link.
Except that all Reason posted was “Urban legend dude.” Urban legend what? The existence of the Federal Trade Commission?
You actually took the trouble to look it up. And I thank you.