Dennis,
Almost, but not quite.  Gallup apparently is dialing semi-random numbers.  Some of
them link to listed people, some link to unlisted numbers, and some link to
businesses.  Some don't link.

Gallup still can't find out the number of a person whose phone is unlisted.  You
could dial numbers at random, as well as they, and get the same sorts of unlisted
people.  Of course, they have a machine that does this.....

dennis roberts wrote:

> one paragraph in the description is rather disturbing ...
>
> -------------
>
> The computer program then takes each phone exchange selected and "creates"
> an actual 10-digit phone number by adding random digits to the exchanges.
> There is no such thing as an unlisted phone exchange, so the randomly
> created phone numbers include unlisted as well as listed numbers. The
> result of all this is a sample of residential phone numbers drawn in such a
> way that every possible residential phone number in the country, listed or
> unlisted, has an equal and known probability of being selected into the sample.
>
> -------------
>
> this says that gallup (or the group doing the actual sampling from the
> phone # list) has access to UNlisted phone numbers ... and will treat them
> as though that level of privacy that is paid for between the resident and
> the phone company ... does not exist
>
> i would argue (if that really is the case) that this is a clear violation
> of privacy rights ... since, if YOU tried to find someone's number that
> happens to be unlisted ... you are out of luck but ... it appears that
> gallup is not and does not operate by the same set of rules
>
> i am sure this is a small % of the total but, it is disturbing none the less
>
> the ? posed by jill is also important ... how many REAL phone #s had to be
> dialed BEFORE 1221 (the # they talked to) actually were contacted and
> agreed to talk? i would venture to say ... twice or 3 times or MORE than
> the 1221
>
> At 01:07 PM 12/3/2002, Jill Binker wrote:
> >http://www.gallup.com/poll/FromtheEd/ed0211.asp
> >
> >I found this utterly fascinating. My only question now (which I submitted
> >to the author via the web site) is: what about people who don't answer
> >their phone?
> >
> >Still, more detail than I've ever seen before on their pre-election polling.
> >
> >Enjoy!
> >________________________________
> >
> >Jill Binker
> >Fathom Dynamic Statistics Software
> >KCP Technologies, an affiliate of
> >Key Curriculum Press
> >1150 65th St
> >Emeryville, CA  94608
> >1-800-995-MATH (6284)
> >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >http://www.keypress.com
> >http://www.keycollege.com
> >__________________________________
> >.
> >.
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> _________________________________________________________
> dennis roberts, educational psychology, penn state university
> 208 cedar, AC 8148632401, mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> http://roberts.ed.psu.edu/users/droberts/drober~1.htm
>
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