Mobile directory: marketing tool or invasion of privacy?

Posted: 30 July 2009

A new service listing the contact details of handset users across the UK was launched this month and has been met with its fair share of problems, debate and controversy.

For many people, the first they had ever heard of the 118 800 Mobile Phone Directory (MFD) will have been when a friend or colleague passed on a link to opt out via an office email or a social networking portal like Facebook or Twitter.

However, the service may be listing the details of millions of people across the UK who may be unaware that their private number is now visible to anyone who chooses to use the service. Inevitably, this has led to much speculation from sector commentators as to whether or not this type of system should be allowed to go live - and the matter has been debated across blogs, newspapers and pub tables across the UK over the course of July.

The move has spawned a number of Facebook groups where people have registered their disdain for the service, allowing them to express their anger at having been included in a system that works on an opt-out only basis. One member of the 'Opt out of 118 800 mobile phone directory enquiries' group wrote in a wall post: "The fact ism, lots of people don't want their number listed and adding them without their approval isn't right. And to say it will take four weeks to remove is a disgrace."

Elsewhere, the BBC's Working Lunch conducted its own investigation into the launch of the MFD service, explaining for the price of £1, subscribers would be offered access to all of the listed mobile numbers just by searching for individuals via their name and location.

The group behind the project, which claims to have around 15 million numbers listed at this time, was named as Connectivity and the broadcaster spoke to its chief executive Raj Raithatha, who suggested the option was an innovation.

However, it was noted by the programme the concerns behind the launch were difficult to ignore and these had been fuelled by the fact that the Information Commissioner's Office had backed the MFD, stating it was within the legal rules and was no different from the many contact lists held by companies who work in sales and operate cold calling schemes.

Shona Foster, marketing director for 118 800 said the firm was acting in an ethical manner and was resourcing its information from existing listings such as those held by market research companies, online businesses and information brokers. "We are accessing data in the same way that lots of other companies do for marketing purposes," she noted. "The difference is that we don't use that data for marketing purposes and we don't sell it on to anybody else."

However, Chris Watson, a lawyer for legal group CMS Cameron McKenna, did not agree and said it was essential that permission was pre-approved for any organisation looking to pass on people's personal details. "You are supposed to have people's consent if you are going to pass their number around and they need to know where it is going to go," he said. "When people tick a box, saying they have no objection to their number going to the company they are dealing with, they don't anticipate that it could then be sold."

However, a matter of weeks after the MFD system went live last month, the Guardian reported the deluge of people trying to get their number taken off the service could be behind its apparent unavailability - with visitors to the site being met with a notice that explained "major developments" were being undertaken, with a view to improving customer experience.

Since then, the company behind 188 800 issued a statement that said: "The high number of queries 118 800 has received since launching have highlighted some technical glitches in the system. To ensure 118 800 provides faultless customer service the decision has been made to temporarily suspend the service allowing for technical work to be completed."

One of the latest people to weigh in to the arguments over whether or not the service is ethically sound or not is Katy Clark, an MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, who told the Largs & Millport Daily News her constituents should be strongly considering the negative aspects to having their name and mobile phone number posted on an internet site without their prior consent.

She expressed concern at the nature of the service and encouraged anyone who had yet to do so to make sure they removed their details - or risk having them available to anyone prepared to pay the £1 fee to get hold of them.

"The 118 800 service claims to have 15 million mobile phone numbers in its database sourced from market researchers and online businesses. The only information the user needs to obtain your number is your name and location. Most people do not expect that their mobile number will be available in this way."

Ms Clark added it was clear that a number of people were worried about having such private details available online and going ex-directory was an option that was an available right that should be pursued if this is how they feel.

She continued, "I understand these services are currently suspended as too many people are using them and must say I am not impressed by the whole exercise. Surely something like this should be voluntary and your mobile phone operator should ask you if you want your number advertised in this way".

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