Judge Blocks Ban on Recorded Sales Pitches by Phone
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WASHINGTON — Recorded sales pitches over the telephone have been given a reprieve--for the time being anyway.
A federal law that beginning today would have prohibited recorded telemarketing calls has been blocked by a U.S. District Court in Oregon, pending the outcome of a lawsuit by the telemarketing industry.
An attorney for the Federal Communications Commission said a temporary injunction prohibiting the agency from enforcing the law was issued late Friday.
Under the new law, recorded telemarketing calls would have been illegal unless the company first obtained permission for the call. Recipients could have collected $500 to $1,500 in damages if the calls persisted.
The law would ban any computerized, recorded telephone solicitation except those from nonprofit groups or political pollsters and special telephone alert systems notifying people about community emergencies.
People making live telephone pitches also would not have been affected, although they would have to stop calling if told to do so.
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