Talk:Robocall
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[edit] Robocall???
Does anyone still use robocalls at least as describe in this article? I have received automated telemarketing calls in NZ and although I don't know for sure, I highly doubt they are robocalls as describe in this article. Almost definitely, it's completely computerised nothing mechanical involved. Perhaps robocall is just the name that has stuck in the US even though the process is different or perhaps there is a legal reason why they use robocalls but I think this article is probably very confusing to many people. It sounds like the US is still stuck in the 70s Nil Einne 09:04, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
- Most people hate getting robocalls, so there's not much point for a telemarketer who wants to sell you something to use them. But political campaigns typically use them to publicize endorsements. You pick up the phone, and the recording startsFor example: "Hello, this is John Kerry, I'm calling to endorse Deval Patrick. Deval ..... " or "Hi, this is Mike Smith. I'm a registered Democrat and a working man. This year I'm voting for the Republican Keith Mercurio because he understands...."
- Most people slam the phone down within seconds, as soon as they realize that it's a recording. You don't need to be polite to a recorded voice. This common response was the basis of a new use of robocalls in the 2006 offterm election, as the NRCC sent out robocalls in about 50 Congressional races, scripted so that (if you hung up after 10 seconds) you assumed Democrats were making the call. "Hello, I'm calling with information about [the Democratic candidate]..." Then the script has a little pause, where most people would hang up. People who got many repeats of these calls, sometimes late at night or in early morning, called Democratic offices to complain about "their" outrageous robocall campaign. I'm hoping that existing laws against harassing phone calls will be used to prosecute those responsible, and that new laws will further limit the use of such tactics. betsythedevine 13:34, 8 November 2006 (UTC)
