Cheap Band Give Away Inquiries -- Or A Stalkers' Charter?

Till a duet of weeks ago, British telephone users could dial British Telecom’s “192” directory inquiry service as well as endure given the disclose of whatever named telephone subscriber for whom they had an address. “192” has been scrapped inward favour of a bunch of over forty competing directory inquiry services, each using a six-figure disclose commencing alongside the digits “118”. Some of these novel services convey been accused of operating a "stalkers' charter" yesteryear providing telephone numbers for addresses to callers who don’t know the resident's name. In 1 representative a woman someone jogger was called at domicile yesteryear a stranger who had manifestly followed her to her door as well as discovered her telephone disclose using 1 of the novel 118 inquiry lines. There are equally good concerns that the provision of telephone numbers purely on the footing of an address could endure used yesteryear burglars to examination whether a holding is empty. The Office of the Information Commissioner, who is responsible for information protection, has received complaints virtually the trend that numbers are existence given out simply says that no rules convey been broken. Apparently the novel 118 operators tin create upwards one's heed for themselves whether to hit telephone numbers out to speculative callers. Even if the 118 operators necessitate names earlier giving out numbers, that’s non much protection against stalkers: all they convey to produce is consult the electoral register, a publicly available document which matches upwards names as well as addresses for everyone who is entitled to vote.

says: “Personal privacy is a value which the police rightly protects. But name-and-address type information is as well as then readily available to anyone who wants it that it is non viable for the police to confine all access to it. The best practical trend to goal someone getting your telephone disclose is to bit your province line, role a mobile as well as endure careful who you lot hit your disclose to. But it shouldn’t endure necessary to resort to this measure. Phone subscribers tin opt to become ex-directory. In the meantime the prudent caution of 118 operators is welcomed”.

Electronic Privacy Information Center here
Privacy International here
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse here
Find telephone numbers here and here
Homepage for stalkers here
What the well-dressed stalker is wearing here