September 25, 2003
Do Not Call List Blocked
Ugh. I am hoping that the recent ruling is overturned soon according to the statements made by the FTC. See the article linked below.
Sept 24 — Consumer groups say Tuesday’s federal court ruling that blocks the Do Not Call Registry is just a temporary legal setback, and won’t ultimately stop government agencies from preventing most dinner-time telephone interruptions. A U.S. judge has ruled that the Federal Trade Commission overstepped its authority in creating the national do-not-call list against telemarketers. The FTC asked a court to stay its decision while it appeals the ruling.IN A LAST-MINUTE reprieve for telemarketers, U.S. District Judge Lee R. West granted a motion for summary judgment requested by the telemarketing industry that — for now — stops implementation of the Federal Trade Commission’s do-not-call list. Some 50 million phone numbers are registered on the list, which was to take effect Oct. 1. The telemarketing industry claims the list would cost $50 billion in sales if member firms were prevented from calling all of the telephone numbers.
West’s ruling leaned on a technicality. He said the FTC did not have authority to regulate the telemarketing industry. Instead, that authority rests with the Federal Communications Commission, he said.
Late Wednesday, the FTC said it had asked the court to stay its decision blocking its list while it appeals the case.
The FTC said that it had asked the U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City to prevent its ruling from taking effect while a higher court hears its appeal.
“This decision is clearly incorrect,” FTC Chairman Timothy Muris said earlier in a written statement. “We will seek every recourse to give American consumers a choice to stop unwanted telemarketing calls.”