Caller-ID, privacy and social processes

The author examines the argument that Caller-ID will take away privacy rights and disproportionately help the wealthy, big businesses and the 'information rich' and concludes that caller-ID accomplishes the opposite because it will have the greatest value to some of the most vulnerable members of society.

Abstract

This article analyses Caller-ID, a form of calling number identification (CNI), which is similar to automatic number identification (ANI), in light of its privacy and social equity impact, and presents research findings that tend to support the precedence of callees' rights to know who is using their time and equipment over callers' rights to anonymity. The author examines the argument that Caller-ID will take away privacy rights and disproportionately help the wealthy, big businesses and the ‘information rich’ and concludes that Caller-ID accomplishes the opposite because it will have the greatest value to some of the most vulnerable members of society. He recommends certain safeguards in implementation and a method to resolve the issue of blocking.