Any free name searches?

[David H]

Now b4usearch have stopped their free name check service does any other site offer a similar service? And you could also get credits on 192 by taking online surveys if anyone else still does this now?

[Ethel]

b4Usearch was prosecuted under the Data Protection Act by the Information Commissioner's Office so it is doubtful if thereis another service providing the same thing.

I have no knowledge of surveys.

[David H]

Thanks Ethel, I get it now. These searches are allowed in many other countries so once again it's back to Blair's/Brown's Britain for us poor sods.

The surveys are where 192.com allowed members to do online surveys instead of paying for credits. I spent hours doing them and clocked up enough for about a year but when they ran out the service stopped.

But we are clearly dealing with a legal ban on free UK data, although if you pay they'll tell us everything. What exactly is that designed to protect?

[ACtheTROLL]

nothing to do with blair/brown ... it was actually a thatcherite decision (originally part of the post office communications act from before the first war).

reverse lookup is very intrusive ... companies sell your details to any tom dick
I get on average 5 pieces of junkmail every day - I don't want more phone calls as well
(why do you need it by-the-way?)

the random call centres are bad enough
the one thing these dicks can't do is specifically target you by phone.

and the list of countries who don't allow it is many times greater than those who do

[Ethel]

All voters have the right to tick the box on the electoral registration card that means their details will be kept off the register that councils sell to marketing agencies.

I certainly tick it as a lot of people do.

b4U was not abiding by that and posting details of people who had 'ticked the box' and they made it very difficult for those who complained to get their details removed.

I don't want every tom, dick and harry to find my details online, thank you very much. Nor do I want shysters to see that I live alone, so I welcome the legislation that forced b4U and similar companies to take the information off the internet.

Even if you pay you will see very little about me, assuming you know my full name.

[David H]

AC, the point I was making was any Tom Dick and Harry can have all our details but people have to pay for them. Reverse lookups (except for telephone numbers) are available but at a cost.

I am on the Telephone Preference Service and only now get calls from overseas who are not covered by it. Whether details are available for nothing or not will deter innocent people like me looking for old friends and the marketing companies will happily pay to get the information which I will not and still pester everyone.