====== 2022-07-25 - unwanted telemarketing ======

this one gonna be short and on an unusual topic. but let's start from the beginning...

===== dark past ======

every1, at certain point, have received some form of a telemarketing that was not ordered, welcomed or (in anyway) wanted. i used to receive quite a lot of these, back in a day. it usually went like:
  * me: hello?
  * tm: hi. we have wonderful product, blablabla...
  * me: where do you have this phone number from?
  * tm: computer generates numbers for us to call.

===== GDPR times ======

...and this was a bit of a problem, as the rules were vague. until one day, when [[wp>EU]] came with [[wp>GDPR]] (also known as "RODO" in PL) and rules became clear:
  - for any call from any company -- they need to get my explicit consent on receiving that, *before* calling.
  - consent cannot be obligatory.
  - even if i agreed at some point, i can always change my mind (and the process of recalling the consent shall be simple!).

so now the discussion goes like... no wait -- there's no discussion! :D because breaking GDPR can (and often does) lead to financial punishments, companies are very careful not to get in the way of these rules. i honestly do not remember when was the last time i've received unwanted telemarketing call, which is great! however life happens -- this year i did received 1 such a call. it went like this:
  * me: hello?
  * tm: hi. we have wonderful product, blablabla...
  * me: where do you have this phone number from?
  * tm: computer generates numbers for us to call.
  * me: what is the regulation, based which you are calling me? i have not consent for such calls.
...and tm hanged up here! it was annoying for at least 2 reasons:
  - it was clearly unlawful call
  - telemarketer did not even bothered to reply


===== enforcing compliance ======

what can you do about that? there are 2 main departments you can report it to:
  - UKE (based on telecommunications regulations)
  - UODO (based on GDPR/RODO)

for UKE (PL: //Urzad Komunikacji Elektronicznej//), you can report [[https://uke.gov.pl/formularz-kontaktowy/|via contact form]]. the only effect is that they inspect most notorious offenders. but, it's still worth noting, as it bumps up ''offends'' counter by +1. :)

for UODO (PL: //Urzad Ochrony Danych Osobowych//) you can [[https://uodo.gov.pl/pl/p/skargi|follow this instruction]], by selecting [[https://uodo.gov.pl/pl/83/153|filing complain in electronic form]], which redirects you to [[https://epuap.gov.pl/wps/myportal/strefa-klienta/katalog-spraw/sprawy-ogolne/ogolne-sprawy-urzedowe-2/pismo-ogolne-do-podmiotu-publicznego-nowe|ePUAP page for filing complains to UODO]]. it's a really simple form to fill up (basically describe the incident in words) and things roll on their own from that point.


===== final note =====

just for the record -- GDPR goes *far* beyond unwanted phone calls. these annoying phone calls, so common in the past, are just a good example, how citizen can benefit from GDPR protection. i recall when GDPR was about to come live, ppl were complaining a lot about "extra paper work" and generally "who cares".

in [[wp>USA]] however there were no such regulations, and not only telemarketers but also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO0iG_P0P6M|robocalls were actually a big thing]] there (not sure about status quo now). in this sense EU made a preemptive attack on such practices, before they became a daily nightmare to regular ppl affected by it. EU -- thank you for making that happen! :*