4 ms·

Why is this a thing in the US? Feels like a unique american thing. I’m in Europe and I don’t think I got more than 2 or 3 spam SMS or robocall in the last 20 ye

Why is this a thing in the US? Feels like a unique american thing. I’m in Europe and I don’t think I got more than 2 or 3 spam SMS or robocall in the last 20 years.

labster 4y ago
Because the US Supreme Court has undergone regulatory capture by monied interests.
- InCityDreams 4y ago
  ...and all the many different European courts?
  - undersuit 4y ago
    Too many courts to court. It's why I advocate the US return to the ratio of representatives originally defined in the constitution; harder to bribe ~13,000 representatives than 435.
    - yborg 4y ago
      >harder to bribe ~13,000 representatives than 435 If you're a multibillionaire, not really. And you really just need certain committees and committee heads.
      - undersuit 4y ago
        So you are arguing it's easier to bribe more people? Interesting argument.
        yourapostasy 4y ago
        I think they're pointing out XX,000 representatives still doesn't matter if only X00 have functional control over $trillions of budget allocations. Probably need such a broad dispersion and decentralization that you approach a rough high-level facsimile of a UBI before you really blunt the influence your parent post was pointing out.
        undersuit 4y ago
        >I think they're pointing out XX,000 representatives still doesn't matter if only X00 have functional control over $trillions of budget allocations. We already have that problem with 435 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_House_of_Representatives_committees https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_House_of... It's harder to bribe more people, just say it.
toast0 4y ago
Calling and SMS to the US is super cheap, under a penny per minute or per text at bulk rates. Calling or texting a mobile phone in Europe is usually ten cents or more per minute/text at bulk rates. There's also a lot fewer languages to deal with in the US, most random recipients can be scammed in English, and if you can also scam en Espanol, that probably brings you to 80%+ of a market with a lot of ability to pay over the phone. A good target market for many things.
arlcode 4y ago
Because in the US privacy doesn't seem to be a high priority for federal politicians (of either party if you ask me). Such things have been regulated by national and European law for ages over here, and the GDPR was the latest brick in that wall. I recall that in particular Americans were very surprised when it passed, while for most Europeans it was simply the harmonization and continuation of very similar earlier laws. While the GDPR (and predecessors and co-laws) is certainly not perfect, sometimes it works very well.
foresto 4y ago
Is yours a mobile phone? Call termination to European mobile numbers is often much more expensive than to any US number. I imagine those costs would add up quickly for bulk callers.

Why is this a thing in the US? Feels like a unique american thing. I’m in Europe and I don’t think I got more than 2 or 3 spam SMS or robocall in the last 20 years.

labster 4y ago

Because the US Supreme Court has undergone regulatory capture by monied interests.

InCityDreams 4y ago
...and all the many different European courts?
- undersuit 4y ago
  Too many courts to court. It's why I advocate the US return to the ratio of representatives originally defined in the constitution; harder to bribe ~13,000 representatives than 435.
  - yborg 4y ago
    >harder to bribe ~13,000 representatives than 435 If you're a multibillionaire, not really. And you really just need certain committees and committee heads.
    - undersuit 4y ago
      So you are arguing it's easier to bribe more people? Interesting argument.
      - yourapostasy 4y ago
        I think they're pointing out XX,000 representatives still doesn't matter if only X00 have functional control over $trillions of budget allocations. Probably need such a broad dispersion and decentralization that you approach a rough high-level facsimile of a UBI before you really blunt the influence your parent post was pointing out.
        undersuit 4y ago
        >I think they're pointing out XX,000 representatives still doesn't matter if only X00 have functional control over $trillions of budget allocations. We already have that problem with 435 people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_House_of_Representatives_committees https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_House_of... It's harder to bribe more people, just say it.

toast0 4y ago

Calling and SMS to the US is super cheap, under a penny per minute or per text at bulk rates. Calling or texting a mobile phone in Europe is usually ten cents or more per minute/text at bulk rates. There's also a lot fewer languages to deal with in the US, most random recipients can be scammed in English, and if you can also scam en Espanol, that probably brings you to 80%+ of a market with a lot of ability to pay over the phone. A good target market for many things.

arlcode 4y ago

Because in the US privacy doesn't seem to be a high priority for federal politicians (of either party if you ask me). Such things have been regulated by national and European law for ages over here, and the GDPR was the latest brick in that wall. I recall that in particular Americans were very surprised when it passed, while for most Europeans it was simply the harmonization and continuation of very similar earlier laws. While the GDPR (and predecessors and co-laws) is certainly not perfect, sometimes it works very well.

foresto 4y ago

Is yours a mobile phone? Call termination to European mobile numbers is often much more expensive than to any US number. I imagine those costs would add up quickly for bulk callers.