[mswphd]

we used to ship mass lists of addresses and phone numbers to people in each town and it was fine/appreciated.

[disposition2]

You could also easily opt out with the single entity that shipped that information.

[jhbadger]

Yes, but getting an unlisted number was considered weird and against the norm even if possible. Even in the early 2000s when I dropped my landline, my parents were aghast - "if you do that, you won't be in the phone book! How will anyone get in contact with you?"

[bigbuppo]

And you often had to pay for the privilege... A dollar a month for them to not put your name and number in the phonebook.

[pera]

Yeah and back then it wasn't used as a sort of UUID to track every single thing you do in your life... Different times

[_doctor_love]

You ever had a bump in the night my guy?

Or a stalker?