Post #4172888

2026-07-28 15:42 UTC

My phone rang. I looked over and, as usual, it was an unknown caller, so I didn't answer it. It crosses my mind that in the 70s and 80s, you always answered the phone if you could. Fraudulent and spam calls were a concern, but a minor one. We usually just assumed if someone was calling, we should answer, because it was a friend, or something important. TV shows would show someone not answering the phone as an indication they were in some sort of crisis. Now, most communication is assumed threatening by default. The long and short of it is that the tech industry has made fear of contact the social norm.

Replies (9)

@TallSimon@mstdn.ca 2026-07-28 21:14

@foolishowl@social.coop That reminds me, I was going to get a 1-900 number... Family can always voice call me on Signal. Everyone else? $12.99/min for the first 5 minutes, $8.99 after that.

Open ##4173929
@rasterweb@mastodon.social 2026-07-28 15:52

@foolishowl@social.coop I answer almost every call I get, recite my script (including “This call is being monitored and recorded for quality assurance”) and over 95% of the time they hang up on me.

Open ##4176606
@darwinwoodka@mastodon.social 2026-07-28 16:02

@foolishowl@social.coop I think answering machines started the call screening, and auto dialers started the avoidance of calls. It's been a machine battle between screeners and scammers ever since.

Open ##4176610
@violet@sunny.garden 2026-07-28 16:38

@foolishowl@social.coop I've been against answering the phone (or door) if I'm not expecting anyone since I was a kid, but I have recently had the same thought about emails, texts, and even internet replies. They used to all be enjoyable. Now very few are.

Open ##4176613
@bit@ohai.social 2026-07-28 17:21

@foolishowl@social.coop I've always been split about unknown numbers. I used to have one. I didn't like that companies I called stored my number without my permission and then sent back sales calls. But then my friends would never know it was me calling, and wouldn't always pick up. The telephone service as always been just awfully designed from the very start. How is it that we still can't simply block calls? No unknown numbers allowed, just block calls. Or better yet, implement a whitelist.

Open ##4176614
@tasket@infosec.exchange 2026-07-29 02:56

@foolishowl@social.coop Nowadays... Crime scales. Criminals can automate contact with people, and easily do it to people in almost any country. Email and the Web aren't a refuge. The tech culture that promoted easy-to-use trust tools has collapsed; can-do has been replaced with cynicism. You are right to think we are in a bad place with trustworthy communication. I remember those days when phone calls were generally valid.

Open ##4180725
@masek@infosec.exchange 2026-07-29 09:23

@foolishowl@social.coop I always get a startle when it rings. Usually it makes other sounds 🤪.

Open ##4191353
@modrak_m@bayes.club 2026-07-29 12:04

@foolishowl@social.coop I've heard this is terrible in the US. I feel that's partly a failed regulation issue - here (Czechia), I take almost all calls, because spam/advertising calls are +/- sensibly regulated and thus are not so frequent.

Open ##4200733
@rl_dane@polymaths.social 2026-07-28 17:57

@foolishowl@social.coop I have to answer my phone, so I've learned to answer every phone call with a very simple "'lo?" It confuses robodialers, and doesn't give voice copiers enough data to work with. It confuses genuine callers, too, but they usually respond with a proper "Hello??" and I can take it from there.

Open ##4210976