Herb Kohl: “I rise today to praise an action taken by the FCC. Its order on Caller ID, which requires per call blocking, will ensure…”

“I rise today to praise an action taken by the FCC. Its order on Caller ID, which requires per call blocking, will ensure that consumers nationwide retain at least a moderate amount of telephone privacy. In 1989, the Subcommittee on Technology and the Law opened the book on a new issue: Caller ID and its varying consequences. And while we thought the development of this new technology could lead to real benefits, some of us were aware that, if left unregulated, Caller ID had the potential to invade our privacy. Back then, we were among the lonely few. But 5 years of persistence has brought our view today to the majority. And last week's FCC action brings us closer to the final chapter of this story. This ruling was crucial because unregulated Caller ID would invade our privacy and reduce our rights. People should be able, for example, to call a crisis hotline, a business, or even the IRS to ask for help without having their numbers displayed. Forcing people to display their numbers every time they make a call, in my view, is really undesirable. Fortunately, there is a simple way to realize the benefits of Caller ID while avoiding its potential problems: Simply let consumers decide when they want to reveal their phone numbers and when they do not. The technology gives us this choice. Per call blocking allows anyone to press a few digits on the phone and block the display of their number.”