Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!rice!uw-beaver!milton!cyberoid
From: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Caller ID: a modest proposal
Message-ID: <15419@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 29 Jan 91 23:12:11 GMT
References: <15377@milton.u.washington.edu> <48611@apple.Apple.COM>
Organization: Human Interface Technology Lab, Univ. of Wash., Seattle
Lines: 22

In article <48611@apple.Apple.COM> baum@apple.UUCP (Allen Baum) writes:
>[]
>
>Would it be reasonable to allow caller-id, but report back not the phone
>number, but some 'encrypted' version of it. This is a number that could
>be reported to the police, or whatever....
>
>--
>		  baum@apple.com		(408)974-3385
>{decwrl,hplabs}!amdahl!apple!baum


Given that the phone company already has this information and can surrender
it to the police, either voluntarily or in response to a warrant, what
purpose is served by conveying the caller's info to the called party, in
encrypted or any other form?  I have heard it seriously stated that one
consequence of Caller ID could be more acts of vigilantism and "street
justice" -- with innocent people being blown away.  How would you like to
accidentally call some estranged wife or husband and have the spouse, who
happened to break in and check out the phone, come for you?  Not a joke.

Bob Jacobson