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From: learn@igloo.scum.com (Bill HMRP Vajk)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Phone privacy question.
Message-ID: <3227@igloo.scum.com>
Date: 3 Jan 91 15:29:38 GMT
References: <6550@crash.cts.com> <1990Dec30.050234.5982@ddsw1.MCS.COM> <1991Jan2.132450.24699@com50.c2s.mn.org>
Organization: Igloo, Public access Unix, Northbrook IL
Lines: 37

In article <24699@com50.c2s.mn.org> Craig Wilson writes:
 
> Actually, scanning the phone book might be a copyright violation
> whereas buying the lists from the phone company will grant you certain usage
> rights.

This brings up several questions. The first is simply whenther or not
the information contained in telephone books doesn't actually become
general knowledge, something like public domain software being free
for use.

I just looked at the Chicago white pages directory. The front cover and the 
following 44 pages (including some teleco advertising) have a copyright notice
at the bottom of each page. The last two pages are copyright by Donnelley,
and the Illinois Bell ad on the inside of the back cover is copyright.

There is no notice I could find regarding the copyright status for the pages
listing names, addresses, and phone numbers.

There was a time when the phone books all carried a notice that the book was
the property of the telephone company, and placing any unauthorized cover over 
it was illegal and subject to penalties of the law. Even then I thought that 
was viewed by many much as the admonitions against removing the material tags 
from sofa cushions (kid rips it off, and mom sews it back on so the police 
won't come to march little Jimmy away to jail.)

Recently this area was rife with alternative "community" phone books published 
by folks who had nothing to do with the phone company. They supported themselves
by selling their own yellow pages advertising, including the front and back 
covers. I haven't seen one in several years. I once bought an ad on the back
cover for one of the nearby communities.

Illinois Bell advises in the first 44 pages that they do sell subscriber
lists to firms engaged in marketing, but that simply by requesting it, your
name and number can be removed from the sold lists.

Bill Vajk