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Comments on Caller- ID services
Statement by Martin Winter, before the Joint Public Hearing
Assembly Consumer Affairs & Protection Committe
Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Comissions Committe
Assembly Task Force on Telecommunications
Senate Consumer Protection Committe
I would like to thank Mr. Nadler, Mr. Siegel, Senator Levy, and
Senator Brennan for allowing me the opportunity to address my concerns
about the privacy of telephone subscribers to them, both as a private
citizen and as the President of the New York State Systems Operator's
Association ( here after known as "The Association"). Since many of my
concerns as a private individual overlap those of the Association I
would like to make a few general remarks concerning what is usually
referred to as "Caller ID and then address the list of issues published
by the Senate and Assembly committees.
"Caller ID" appears to be what is known as a "trap and trace"
device. Title 18, United States Code Chapters 119, 121, 201, and
206, also known as the Electronic Communications Privacy act, and
which I will hereafter refer to as the "ECPA" defines a "trap and
trace" device as:
a device which captures the incoming electronic
or other impulses which identify the originating
number of an instrument or device from which a
wire or electronic communication was transmitted;
Since Caller ID has the ability to display the number of the telephone
from which a call originated and record that number it would certainly
seem to fit the ECPA's definition of a "trap and trace" device. Further
the ECPA limits those circumstances in which a device of this type can
be used. Chapter 206, section 3121 of the ECPA states:
(a) In General.-Except as provided in this section, no
person may install or use a pen register or a trap
and trace device without first obtaining a court order
under section 3123 of this title or under the Foreign
Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801
et seq.).
(b) Exception.-The prohibition of subsection (a) does not
apply with respect to the use of a pen register or a
trap and trace device by a provider of electronic or
wire communication service-
(1) relating to the operation, maintenance, and testing
of a wire or electronic communication service or to
the protection of the rights or property of such
provider, or to the protection of users of that
service from abuse of service or unlawful use of
service; or
(2) to record the fact that a wire or electronic
communication was initiated or completed in order
to protect such provider, another provider furnishing
service toward the completion of the wire communication,
or a user of that service, from fraudulent, unlawful
or abusive use of service; or with the consent of the
user of that service.
© Penalty.-Whoever knowingly violates subsection (a) shall be
fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year,
or both.
With this in mind it would appear that the use of Caller ID would be
limited only to Police, Fire, Hospital Emergency Rooms, Poison Control
Centers, and other Emergency Service Providers for the purpose of
identifying the telephone number and address from which a telephone call
originates in the event that the caller is not able to provide this
information; residential subscribers who wish to maintain the privacy of
their telephone line by knowing who is calling or from what number a
telephone call has orig inated; those subscribers, both residential and
business, who have received harrassing, threatening and/or obscene
telephone calls and wish to identify the number from which these calls
are originating for the purpose of criminal and civil prosecution; and
those business and residential subscribers like myself and other members
of the Association who operate an electronic data communications service
or hobby type computer bulletin board for the purpose of identifying the
origination of telephone calls in or der to maintain the security of the
system and the privacy of our users.
With regard to the technology involved in offering the Caller ID
service, I am not an expert in the design of telecommunications
systems and would prefer to leave the explanation of this technology
to New York Telephone itself.
With regard to the potential benefits to those customers who chose to
subscribe to Caller ID, both with and without the blocking of the
caller's telephone number I would like to make the following points:
1: Emergency Service Providers who use Caller ID systems would
have the ability to dispatch emergency units to the scene even
if the caller was unable to provide their location. This system
is currently in place in the form of an augmented 911 emergency
telephone system in a number of cities throughout the country
and has been credited numerous times with saving lives that
might otherwise have been lost due to the callers inability to
identify their location. At the present time, many Emergency
Service Providers in New York State have no way of identifying
the location from which an emergency call originates. If the
caller is a young child who cannot tell them where he is, a
person who speaks little or no English, or a person who is
incapacitated or so upset or excited that they cannot identify
their location this can and has lead to delays in the arrival
of emergency personnel that has resulted in loss of life and
property that could have been avoided had the Emergency Service
Provider been able to identify the location of the caller.
2: Without "blocking" residential customers would have the ability
to screen incoming telephone calls by looking at the
originating number before they answer the call. This would
allow them to know before hand if the incoming caller is
someone with whom they wish to speak.
3: Without "blocking" residential and business customers who have
received telephone calls of a harrassing, threatening and/or
obscene nature would have the ability immediately provide law
enforcement agencies with the number of the telephone from
which the calls originated. In those area where Caller ID is
now offered the number of calls of this nature has been
reduced.
4: A group of teenagers uses a home computer to break into a
banks computer and obtains several credit card numbers which
they then use to go on a spending spree. A college student
majoring in Computer Science writes a program that, when
inserted in a computer network using a specific software
program, replicated itself to the point where the network can
no longer be used. A group of computer users in West Germany
manages to infiltrate a highly sensitive computer network and
then proceeds to gather as much classified information as
possible, then makes that information public in an effort to
show how easy it was to get it. All of these incidents have
been in the news in recent times. Those customers who operate
electronic data services, or hobby type computer bulletin
board services are very sensitive to the issues these
incidents raise with regard to the security of the information
on their systems. Caller ID would make it Possible for
electronic data services and hobby bbs systems to immediately
know if their security system had been breached or bypassed.
Most of the systems that I have used or operated allow the
System Operator (or SYSOP), to see information about the
caller displayed on his computer terminal as the user logs on
to the system. This information usually includes the callers
name, or the name by which he is known on the system, the
callers password and the caller's telephone number. A SYSOP
who is monitoring a caller's activity would be able to see
immediately if the call is originating from the location
initially given by the caller. Those calls which are
originating from the caller's listed location would require no
further monitoring as it is fairly certain the the caller is
who he claims to be. Those calls which come from a location
the does not match the listed location could then be monitored
to determine if the caller is who he claims to be and for any
activity which would compromise the security of the system or
the privacy of the users.
I cannot emphasize how important this feature would be to
those customers who operate an electronic data transfer
system. Recently my own BBS almost fell victim to what I
would term a "computer delinquent". This person uploaded a
program to my system that was designed to destroy a section of
my computer's memory when used. Prosecuting this individual is
going to be difficult because, even though I have a complete
log of the activities of all the users on the day he
transferred the program to my system, I do NOT, however, have
absolute proof that the call originated from the number that
owner of the account used in the transfer of this program gave
me when he requested access to my BBS. The ability to identify
the location of an incoming call would be invaluable to
maintaining the security of electronic Banking systems and
information clearing houses. With this system in place and
properly used it would substantially reduce the number of
incidents of unauthorized persons gaining access to
information on a multitude of electronic data systems.
Incidents such as I have just described would be reduced or
eliminated entirely.
All of the advantages I have outlined above would be available to the
consumer only if the blocking of calls were not allowed. While I do
believe that we all have the right to privacy as it regards our
telephone number, and I also feel that those people who are currently
paying for an "unlisted" or "non-published number" should have the
right to maintain the privacy of that number, I also feel that there
are some circumstances where blocking should NOT be allowed.
Specifically those instances are:
1: Calls made to an Emergency Service Provider. I think that
most people would agree that the ability to respond to an
emergency call, and the potential for loss of life or
property out weighs the callers need or desire for
privacy.
2: Calls which are made to residential or business
subscribers who have been receiving calls of a
threatening, harrassing, or obscene nature. In these cases
there should be a way to over-ride call the blocking of
the display of the incoming number, but such an over-ride
capability should be avialable only on the request of an
investigating authority. Further such a request should
only be made if it shown that the calls are originating
from a number which is blocking the display of the number,
and the over-ride should only be allowed until such time
as the individual making these calls is caught.
3: Calls made to electronic data services and computer BBS
systems. Those who provide such services should have the
ability to over-ride the blocking of an incoming number.
This is not a stand that I take lightly. While there is
the potential for abuse of this ability I feel that there
are several factors which mitigate in favor of the
over-ride of number blocking in this instance. First, many
electronic data systems contain information of a sensitive
or classified nature. Many banks now keep records of all
their accounts on computer systems. These systems both at
the local branch office, and the main headquarters can and
do communicate with each other automatically over the
telephone lines. As I have already outlined there have
been instances where unauthorized persons have managed to
gain access to these computer systems and make use of the
information contained on them. Further, those persons and
businesses which operate such systems are currently
subject to the provisions of the ECPA with regards to the
disclosure of any and all information contained on their
systems. Briefly, operators of electronic communications
systems, whether it be a national banking corporation
operating a nationwide computer banking network, or the
kid down the street who has 22 users on a BBS system that
operates for 3 hours a day, cannot divulge any of the
information on their system to anyone other than a law
enforcement agency acting under court order, or the user
of the account in question. To do so would be a violation
of the ECPA and would subject the operator to a fine of up
to $10,000 and up to five years in jail for each
violation. The potential harm that could result from an
unauthorized person gaining access to such a system is
enormous. A virus or "bomb" type program, if inserted into a
computer network, could completely destroy the ability of
that network to function, or even destroy all the data
contained on that network. If this network were that of a
bank it could effectively leave depositors penniless until
the bank could recreate the records.
With regards to the drawbacks of Caller Id, I do agree that there may
be some problems associated with the technology as it affects a callers
privacy, but I also believe that if number blocking is allowed in all
but the circumstances I have already outlined then the problems
associated with Caller ID will be minimal. In the information that the
Assembly and Senate committees published concerning this hearing they
specifically mention banking and housing "red-lining" as one of their
concerns. In order to discuss this we must first understand a little bit
about how telephone exchange numbers are allocated to an area. In order
to provide service to an area the telephone company uses what they call
a "Central office". Each central office is set up to serve a specific
area and all calls going to or from this area are routed through that
office. In addition each office has a number of "exchanges, the first
three digits of a number after the area code are the exchange. How large
or small an area s central office serves is determined by the population
density of that area. In New York City, for example there are central
offices that serve only a few square blocks. In other areas, such as the
northern section of the 518 area code, a central office may serve an
area as large of 100 square miles or larger. In a densely populated area
an exchange may serve an area of only one or two blocks, while in a
sparse;y populated area it may serve an area as large as that which the
central office does. As an aid to the practice o f "red-lining" in
housing or banking Caller ID would only be practical in an area of high
population density, in an area of low or median density, such as the 518
area code, an exchange number could conceivably serve customers who are
as much as 10 miles apart making it impossible to tell exactly where the
call originates from without the aid of a numerical directory. Further,
Caller ID would also act as an aid in detecting the practice of
red-lining as it co uld easily be determined if calls originating fro m
a neighborhood or exchange are being answered. In addition, since Caller
ID appears to regulated by the ECPA it would subject those who use it to
accomplish red-lining the penalties provided by the ECPA in addition to
those already provided for in the Fair Housing Act and the Fair lending
Act.
Potential does exist for the use of Caller ID as a means of
identifying previously anonymous customers for the purpose of later
solicitation, but again, such use is already clearly prohibited by
the ECPA.
With regard to the blocking of caller telephone numbers by Caller ID
I feel that blocking should be allowed in all but the cases I have
already outlined. Further blocking should be allowed on both a call by
call basis and as part of a service which will premanently block the
display of the number. Display of an incoming callers number should be
allowed for only in those instances where a significant risk to life and
or property is at stake. In addition I feel that certain numbers, such
as those of batter ed women's and children's shelter's, should be
blocked in all cases except where blocking the number would result in
significant risk to life and/or property.
With regard to other technologies which would compliment Call
blocking. again I would prefer to defer to those who design and
market such items.
With regard to the blocking or disclosure of unlisted and
non-published numbers, such numbers should normally be blocked from
being displayed under most circumstances. Again, in cases where a
significant risk to life and/or property would result blocking should
be over-ridden.
WIth regard to the privacy of an individual as the receiver of a
telephone call I think we need to keep the following in mind. As a
subscriber of New York Telephone I have a telephone in my home. Since
that phone is in my own home the right of privacy attached to the house
should extend to the use of the telephone. I have the right and the
ability to see who is at my front door before I open that door and allow
entrance to my home. The same right should extend to my ability to know
who is calling me on m y telephone. If I do not wish to let a person in
my house because he refuses to identify himself to me I have that right.
i should also have the right to not answer my telephone if a caller does
not want his number identified. As a visitor to another's home the
homeowner has the right to refuse me entrance if I do not identify
myself to him, the same right should apply to his telephone.
With regard to balancing the individuals right to privacy both as a
maker and receiver of telephone calls, I would hope that what I have
already said has done so. We are dealing with a new technology. It is
only recently that the ability to identify a caller before answering the
telephone has become available. The issues which I have attempted to
address. however, are not new, they have been in existence for as long
as the United States has. We have a right to privacy in our own homes,
and we have the ri ght to maintain that privacy be reasonable means. If
Caller Id is implemented in a manner that is consistent with what I have
just outlined then it's use should be able to insure the continuation of
the right to privacy without unwarranted intrusions. To sum up briefly,
in order to insure the telephone customer's right to privacy Caller ID
would have to allow for the following:
1: The display of a caller's telephone number in those circumstances
where blocking the display would result in a significant risk to
life and/or property.
2: The display of the number top those persons who operate
electronic data services, data clearing houses of computer
bulletin board systems, where such display is for the purpose of
insuring the security of the system, the security of the data on
the system and the privacy of the users accounts.
3: The display of a caller's number in those instances when the
making of threatening, harrassing and/or obscene telephones is
being investigated, provided that such display is requested by a
duly authorized investigative agency, that it has been shown that
the calls are originating from a number that is blocked from
display, and that such ability to use blocking will be restored
when the person making the calls is apprehended.
4: Display blocking will be made available to those customers who
currently have an unlisted or non-published number as a part of
that service.
5: Display blocking will be automatically disabled when calls are
placed to Emergency Service Providers or others who have a valid
need to display the number of each incoming caller.
6: That the numbers of battered women's and children's shelters
shall be automatically blocked from all but Emergency Service
Providers.
7: That all business customers electronic data system operators who
subscribe to Caller ID are made aware in writing that disclosing
the number of an incoming call is a violation of the ECPA and
that such disclosure may subject them to severe penalties.
If Caller Id is offered with these protections in place it should fairly
balance the privacy of both the caller and the person receiving the
call.
***** NOTE FROM TOMMY *****
It is my opinion that an eighth protection should be put into place for
the protection of those subscribing to Caller ID:
8: That the Caller-ID subscriber may, at his option, block incoming
calls from callers employing Caller-ID blocking.
This option will protect those who wish to have *ALL* incoming calls
identified. The idea is, if you won't identify yourself, I don't want
your call. Tommy's Holiday Camp Remote Online Systems will subscribe to
this particular option should it become available in British Columbia.
This will ensure that users' accounts are 100% secure and eliminate
"spoofing" or users posing as other users, and eliminate the need for
Voice Validation. Think about it. From a hacker's point of view,
Caller ID is a catastrophe. From a BBS sysop's point of view, it is his
salvation.
***** TOMMY OUT *****
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