QSoc / CommDay bulk text?

singingstranger

Received just this minute, spelled as received:

Hey!Dont forget 2 register 4 comm day5aside soccar tournament dis thi @10.30am in quinn-great prizes!also tkts 4 tramco dis thurs in quinn/arts €7!
from: QSOC/ComDay

Aside from p*ssing me off with spelling it 'soccar' - I mean, text lingo is one thing but just letting that one slip through the net is something else entirely (and don't even mention 'ComDay') - I'd love to know where they got my phone number.

Given that I'm not a QSoc member, or a CommDay volunteer this year, I don't personally think I should be subject to this crap. My own views of QSoc aside, I wish they'd try more to stay out of the lives of the people who didn't join...

Anyone else (more directed at non-members here, I guess) subject to this non-solicited bundle of inarticulate and grammatically-bankrupt SMS sh*te?

singingstranger

Another one, just now, from the C&E:

Sign Up for Street Collecting on CommDay Morning @ Desk in Quinn all week. Heaviest Bucket returned wins XBOX 360!! Make this one count, it's all for Charity!
from: C&E/CommDay

Aside from my membership of this society at least, it's nice to see some proper spelling for once!...

Chinafoot

Well thankfully I lost my phone before christmas so if there was ever a chance of my having given my number to any societies over the past 2 years, I wouldn't be subjected to that.

This seems to be happening quite a fair bit. I'd definitely report them to the college authorities. A friend of mine gets constant texts from Bondi and shes never even been in the place:/ She reckons one of the societies "passed it on"


**Edit** Looks like they're being sent by the same person. Maybe they think that because Q-Soc and the C&E are organising CommDay your membership of C&E allows Q-Soc to have your info?

Obviously it doesn't but that would be by reckoning of the first text.

panda100

Its prob from the su they got your number gav.
Also that heaviset bucket thing is abit of a silly idea-becuase it's usually the lightest buckets that do the best with notes and things and its always the heaviset ones that are just packed with 2 and 1 cents.

singingstranger

panda100 wrote:

Its prob from the su they got your number gav.

Hmm, there's two options here:

- either they got it from my number being plastered on any of my SU correspondance, which in fairness, I've no objection to. If I did, I'd stop sending it around. But that's beside the point, I still shouldn't be subjected to unsolicited material. That's like how the number for the Department of the Taoiseach is in the public demain - it serves a useful purpose. Just because it's public it doesn't mean they should have telemarketers phoning up asking if the Department is happy with its long-distance phone charges - and I doubt they do!

- if they got it off the Ents or Class Rep contact list, then something's most definitely up, because Ents aren't behind CommDay (although if they were involved I'd be a little less peeved). If it's from the Class Rep list then I'll be wanting a word with Dave Curran, asking why he's handing over my phone number to what is essentially a Societies event...

anonymous_joe

Don't think C and E and Qsoc like each other...

I've only gotten texts from C and E, and I'm a commerce student... :rolleyes:

irlrobins

singingstranger wrote:

Hmm, there's two options here:

- either they got it from my number being plastered on any of my SU correspondance
- if they got it off the Ents or Class Rep contact list

Either way they're breaking the Data Protection regulations. They can only send you texts/faxs/emails if you've signed up for them or if u have some form of business with them previously. Just because your number is available publicly does not give them the right to contact you.

Not the first time this sort of thing has come up on this forum. I think it's time the Societies Officer had a lil meeting and advised the clubs and socs what they can or can't do with direct marketing. It's a €3000 fine if they are found to be breaking the Data Protection regulations.

Blush_01

We were told at the beginning of the year that we couldn't send unsolicited texts etc. PokerSoc sent me a text for the Valentine's Ball too, but I've never been a member of PokerSoc, so I called Richard Butler. I don't know if anything happened because of it, but at the same time, the more people who harrass him about it, the less likely he is to let the problem continue. I think it's a bit like Brian Canny's idea for fresher's week - the playing field needs to be levelled.

Anyone who breaks the rules (especially without a real reason) should be punished. I think the numbers should be taken from societies who plague people. But then again, I'm an uncompromising wagon at times.

The_Minister

How do we make a complaint?

irlrobins

Well you could make a complaint to

a) the soc concerned
b) Soc Officer (Richard Butler)
c) www.dataprotection.ie

Stabshauptmann

if you went into the tent by the bar in freshers week and got that lovely pack in return for your phone number you agreed to be contacted by ents.

This year comm day falls during rag week, so ents are pitching in and so Imguessing A)Qsoc and C&E got your number from the SU and B)You technically agreed to the SU using your number like this.

Stabshauptmann

either way make a complaint to butler, if its all above board no harm done, if not then I would love it if Qsoc and C&E were taken down a notch

irlrobins

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

A)Qsoc and C&E got your number from the SU

Unless SU stated that your number would be passed to third parties in the terms and conditions and you agreed to this, then this would mean the SU is in breach of the DP Act.

singingstranger

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

if you went into the tent by the bar in freshers week and got that lovely pack in return for your phone number you agreed to be contacted by ents.

This year comm day falls during rag week, so ents are pitching in and so Imguessing A)Qsoc and C&E got your number from the SU and B)You technically agreed to the SU using your number like this.

I didn't get the pack (2nd year and all that...) and to be perfectly honest I actually have no idea how Ents got my number in the first place - I can't recall if I actually signed up to an Ents mailing list that week or not. But anyway...

There's no QSoc or C&E logo on the Rag Week posters and no Ents logo on the CommDay ones either so I'm not sure if there's actually a link between the two...

hullaballoo

I talked to the data protection office before about this sort of thing, and what I got in response was something to the effect of, "We're talking serious business in the data protection office, and we take complaints very seriously. If you make a complaint to us, you darn well better be sure it's a valid one and that there is a data protection infringement, otherwise it's big trouble for you. Now go away, you pesky kid".

I responded by going into a fairly detailed legal analysis of every point he raised, and then raised a few more of my own and sent it back to them. I haven't heard anything back since. I have to say it was my first real taste of what a farce these "Consumer Protection-esque" government bodies are.

Your best bet is to grin and bear it to be honest, there's fuck all you can do about it, and it's a small price to pay for the convenience of a mobile 'phone.

singingstranger

/makes mental note to switch SIM card

This is what it's come to. My SIM card is so old that it still says Eircell. Six and a half years old.

/sobs for humanity

beanyb

Complaining to Richard Butler about Qsoc/C+E is pointless tbh. He worships the ground that they walk on!

Stabshauptmann

singingstranger wrote:

I didn't get the pack (2nd year and all that...) and to be perfectly honest I actually have no idea how Ents got my number in the first place - I can't recall if I actually signed up to an Ents mailing list that week or not. But anyway...

There's no QSoc or C&E logo on the Rag Week posters and no Ents logo on the CommDay ones either so I'm not sure if there's actually a link between the two...

I know for a fact that there is, there is a comm-day comitee with all interested parties, society and Union. Its a seperate entity in one sense, but part of c&e, B&L, qsoc and ents etc in another.

look closer at posters. All society posters contain the same com-day logo and sponsors logos. Rag week posters list commday and comm-day events.
The Posters for the grand finale actually have the ents logo as well as society logos (think its B&L).

Stabshauptmann

irlrobins wrote:

Unless SU stated that your number would be passed to third parties in the terms and conditions and you agreed to this, then this would mean the SU is in breach of the DP Act.

But its not technically passed on to any third parties. as explained above, ents are involved in commday and thats why both societys are putting "X/ComDay" in the texts. Its a joint venture of sorts

Blush_01

That doesn't matter. Unless the texts are being sent from UCDSU or ENTS, then they're illegal. Simple as.

pretty*monster

singingstranger wrote:

- if they got it off the Ents or Class Rep contact list, then something's most definitely up, because Ents aren't behind CommDay (although if they were involved I'd be a little less peeved). If it's from the Class Rep list then I'll be wanting a word with Dave Curran, asking why he's handing over my phone number to what is essentially a Societies event...

I doubt they got your number from either of those lists, cos I'm on those lists and I didn't get the text.

Stabshauptmann

Blush_01 wrote:

That doesn't matter. Unless the texts are being sent from UCDSU or ENTS, then they're illegal. Simple as.

explain said legality please because if it was a joint venture type thing (and tbh, I dont know that is where they got your number) Im pretty sure its legal for either party to use any means or resources that they could also use independantly

Blush_01

http://www.dataprotection.ie/documents/annualreports/annual_report_2004.pdf - the 16th Annual report on DPA.

Quote from Data Protection Act - It is an offence under regulation 13(9) of S.I. 535 of 2003 to send unsolicited communication to an individual, who is not a customer, by SMS or e-mail or an unsolicited communication to any individual by fax or automated calling machine unless prior consent of the individual has been obtained.

I didn't tell UCDSU that they could text me. I never gave them my number. Now, when they text me in an auditorial capacity, I have no problem with it. But with junk texts about RAG Week (I can read posters, thanks), cheap booze (I don't drink in the Student Bar, it's a hole) etc. I get annoyed. Why? Because I never gave them my number. I never asked or told them to contact me regarding any of that stuff. Therefore I'm entitled not to be bugged by them because they think it'll entice me to go to whatever they've organised. When Poker Soc texted me regarding the Valentine's Ball, I was annoyed. I never gave them my contact details. I have a personal problem with gambling (that makes me sound like a gambler - I'm not, I just disagree with gambling) and don't want to go to an event that funds a society whose sole aim is gambling. That's my prerogative. I don't text them about guest writers I invite in to the society. So why do they text me, and who gave them my number? Whoever it was, I wish they wouldn't do that, it's my number, not theirs. And I have a right not to get those nuisance texts.

Now, Kaptain, if CommDay and Q-Soc were involved in something with the SU and texts were sent from CommDay/Q-Soc, they're not legally allowed to use UCDSU's database. UCDSU can contact people to let them know what's going on and specify the involvement of CommDay/Q-Soc. That's fine. But handing over the numbers is not. See what I mean?

irlrobins

Blush has got it right. Comm/QSoc are considered a third party and your details can not be used by this third party without prior consent.

Stabshauptmann

Blush I see what you mean, but A)It doesnt look like UCDSU did give your number to qsoc if you are sure they never had it and B)Was the text sent by Qsoc or CommDay commitee, both have signed it

irlrobins, where is the distinction drawn between who's a third party and whats a joint venture

And is anybody sure who gave numbers to whom. Blush seems confident the SU didnt have her number to begin with

I got a txt about a day at the races, i dont know who from

Blush_01

I know that I didn't give my number to the Su but I get the odd text from them due to society commitments. I don't mind society related ones, just the nuisance ones. They do have my number, but not for general use, if you know what I mean.

I never said UCDSU DID give the numbers to Q-Soc, I'm saying IF they did it's illegal. Paddy already admitted months ago that B&L gave the SU all the numbers they had - that was illegal. In a joint venture situation, then the person who you gave permission to contact you can contact you about it, but the other party has no right to your details at all, regardless of how involved they are in the organisation of the event.

qsoc auditor

hey all, just to sort things out! first the qsoc/com day txt was sent out by qsoc ( who organised comm day this year) the text was sent out of our data base so if you got a text and you werent supposed to it means your number is in our data base for some reason! we dont have any numbers from the SU and we only have numbers from new members from freshers week! With regard to people being upset about receiving texts, qsoc will probably have a tick the box or something for freshers week if you want to receive texts or not! so as to avoid any people getting angry over texts. apologies to anybody who felt this way.

singingstranger

qsoc auditor wrote:

hey all, just to sort things out! first the qsoc/com day txt was sent out by qsoc ( who organised comm day this year) the text was sent out of our data base so if you got a text and you werent supposed to it means your number is in our data base for some reason! we dont have any numbers from the SU and we only have numbers from new members from freshers week! With regard to people being upset about receiving texts, qsoc will probably have a tick the box or something for freshers week if you want to receive texts or not! so as to avoid any people getting angry over texts. apologies to anybody who felt this way.

Stu, out of interest, how do you think non-member's numbers might have gotten in there?

Pythia

qsoc auditor wrote:

hey all, just to sort things out! first the qsoc/com day txt was sent out by qsoc ( who organised comm day this year) the text was sent out of our data base so if you got a text and you werent supposed to it means your number is in our data base for some reason! we dont have any numbers from the SU and we only have numbers from new members from freshers week! With regard to people being upset about receiving texts, qsoc will probably have a tick the box or something for freshers week if you want to receive texts or not! so as to avoid any people getting angry over texts. apologies to anybody who felt this way.

Capital letters are our friends.

irlrobins

Pythia wrote:

Capital letters are our friends.

This isn't the spell czech forum Rach.

humbert

they aint no friends of mine!:eek:

qsoc auditor

im not sure exactly obviously! i dont know how many numbers you're talking about! either someone signed up and gave the wrong number or someone signed up and gave in someone elses number