Privacy safeguards for telephone users have been strengthened following a decision by the Australian Communications Authority to register a new consumer code on Calling Number Display (CND).
The new CND Code replaces voluntary guidelines published by AUSTEL in 1996.
Calling Number Display (CND) allows telephone customers to view the numbers of incoming callers on handsets with visual displays or on units attached to their phones. The called party can also identify who is making the call. However, CND raises a number of potential privacy issues for customers who may not know that their telephone number is being displayed each time they make a call.
Under the new code telecommunications providers are required to observe a number of privacy practices including:
providing all new telephone customers or customers who change providers with the option of withholding their number from CND, free of charge; and undertaking awareness campaigns to inform their customers of the privacy implications of Calling Number Display when they launch new CND products.
Business subscribers to CND will also be required to employ proper privacy practices for the collection, storage, use and disclosure of CND information on callers, consistent with the Privacy Commissioner's National Privacy Principles.
Importantly, no silent line customer will have their number displayed unless they have specifically requested it. And all customers will be able to choose to withhold their numbers for all calls, or on a call-by-call basis, by dialling 1831 or #31#.
Announcing the registration of the CND code, ACA Chairman Tony Shaw said, "Registration of this code allows the ACA to make sure that telecommunications carriers and carriage service providers abide by the privacy mechanisms enshrined in the code. This will ensure that consumers' privacy concerns are met."
Calling Number Display is the second consumer code to be registered by the ACA. It was developed by representatives of the telecommunications industry and consumer groups with the support of the Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF), the peak telecommunications industry body responsible for developing industry and consumer codes.
Codes of practice are an integral part of the telecommunications regulatory regime, which emphasises industry initiated self-regulation. The ACA has now registered a total of seven codes dealing with various consumer and operational matters. These codes are available from both the ACA and ACIF websites.
