Caller ID and the meaning of privacy

Abstract

Caller ID service continues to be a controversial issue in the U.S. because of its privacy implications. State and federal regulators, legislators, scholars, and the courts have examined and responded to the privacy issue from a policy perspective, but perhaps without a complete understanding of the meaning of privacy in the context of the debate. What types of privacy are involved, how significant are these interests, and how might privacy needs compare and be balanced? This article explores privacy in the context of the Caller ID debate from a social science perspective. It examines motives for seeking and preserving privacy and explores the dynamic relationship between the caller and called party positions. It then provides an analysis of current and proposed Caller ID features and policies with a view toward understanding how these proposals balance competing privacy needs. This article establishes an analytic framework and a foundation for further study of caller and called party privacy that should lead to a better understanding of the privacy debate and the privacy implications of Caller ID.