Complaints made over Fitzpatrick ‘robocalls’
The ‘Irish Examiner’ has learnt that pre-recorded messages with Ms Fitzpatrick’s voice were received on voters mobile phones and landlines on Thursday night.
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner confirmed yesterday it had received complaints about unsolicited contact from politicians in the election campaign. The Fianna Fáil councillor’s automated audio messages may have breached data protection rules, it was also confirmed.
A voter who answered her phone to the automated call from Ms Fitzpatrick said the tactic was “sly”. IT professional Tracey Lyons, 39, also said she had already asked the MEP hopeful last week to stop emailing her for her vote. “I was out shopping and got the call after 7pm. It was a minute long and came through on an 086 number. I didn’t know it and thought it might be an emergency. It was Mary Fitzpatrick’s voice, but recorded.”
A robocall is a call that uses a computerised autodialer to deliver a pre-recorded message. Robocalls are associated with telemarketing in the US but not common in Ireland. The use of the phone call system by pro-lifers in 2012 was heavily criticised.
The commissioner’s office yesterday said it was examining complaints about unsolicited material from politicians. This included concerns about robocalls.
It would not confirm which politicians. It detailed statutory rules for politicians which say marketing calls, like robocalls, are banned unless a recipient “consents to the receipt of such calls”. Fines for breaching the rules amount to €5,000 for each call.
Ms Fitzpatrick last night confirmed possibly “thousands” of recorded calls had gone out for her on Thursday night.
“They’re based on a personal database, not a bought one. I always comply with data rules. It is a recorded call but comes out from my campaign phone number.”
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