On Friday, December 6, 2002, at 04:53 PM, Harmon Seaver wrote:
Tim mentioned cell phones and the lack of telemarketing calls on his, butAgain, there's a very straightforward analysis. Surprisingly, much of contract law is in precise agreement with what most libertarians would think about this. Namely,
really that's only because, at this point at least, the cellphone number lists
haven't been sold. This might change in the near future, as several wireless
providers have been considering selling their subscriber lists.
It's hard to see how they could do this, however, since, unlike landline
calls -- annoying enough -- spam calls to your cellphone would cost *you* money.
Alice can sell her list of numbers she has with Alice Cellular if she chooses to, unless she has made contractual obligations (the much-referenced "consideration") with Bob and Chuck and Dora and so on.
As simple as that.
If Bob wants to have a cellphone number that is not sold to others, he should make arrangements with the cellphone company.
Whether incoming calls "cost him money" is neither here nor there to the basic issues.
--Tim May
