French Senate Votes to Ban Unsolicited Telemarketing Calls

The proposed law requires consumer consent for telemarketing, aiming to curb widespread annoyance and privacy breaches.

The French Senate has passed a bill mandating consumer consent for telemarketing calls, shifting from an 'opt-out' to an 'opt-in' system.
The proposal, led by Senator Pierre-Jean Verzelen, addresses the inefficacy of the current Bloctel system, which only protects 10% of phone lines.
Consumer associations strongly support the bill, as 97% of French citizens express frustration with frequent telemarketing calls.
The bill must now pass the National Assembly to become law, potentially reducing the current volume of unwanted calls.
Critics raise concerns over potential job losses, as telemarketing supports up to 40,000 jobs, though many are outsourced abroad.