Reverse Number Lookup - A Violation Of Privacy Rights?

by John Smithe

Did you know that anyone can find out detailed information about you like your criminal history, birth record, and address using nothing but your phone number? Even if they don’t know the owner of the phone number their looking up they can still get a detailed profile including the person’s name and other private information. This can be done easily using reverse number lookup available from many websites for a small fee. Of course there are legitimate applications for this service that help to safeguard people against criminals, like tracking down someone making malicious phone calls or calling in bomb threats, but there are also ways to violate the privacy of innocent individuals.

Reverse number lookup can lead to simple annoyances like telemarketing calls. Have you ever wondered how so many companies get your phone number and then call you to offer credit cards, loans, and a plethora of other annoying gimmicks? Unless you hand out your phone number to random companies, chances are they looked up your information through reverse number lookup and picked products to pitch to you based on your personal information. With your criminal record, credit history, address, phone records, and other you are at the mercy of telemarketers. While I would classify this as an invasion of privacy telemarketers are just an annoyance; but there are much more severe problems that can be cause by reverse number look up.

Giving anyone the power to get detailed information about anyone else seems like an obviously bad idea. People from jaded lovers to serial killers can get the information they need to commit crimes against other people and while this sounds serious it is a distinct possibility. With reverse number lookup personal information about anyone is for sale for only few dollars without their consent and that means the practice is indeed a violation of privacy. Most people wouldn’t fell comfortable with the idea that their personal information is so easily accessed.

The legitimate applications of reverse number lookup are enough to merit the service’s existence, but there should be regulations in place to make sure information doesn’t fall into the hands of people who would use it for sinister purposes and telemarketers. Being able to track down people who commit crimes is a noble cause and one that everybody can agree on. However, granting access to people’s personal information so easily and without consent is a violation of privacy rights.

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