App rates cold calls by how annoying they’re likely to be

The PrivacyStar app has introduced an alert system which lets users know the likelihood an unknown number will be a blacklisted company or scammer.

Although unwanted telemarketing calls are much more associated with landline phones — whose numbers are publicly available — than smartphones, those with mobile devices are likely to have experienced some unwanted contact from companies. Now the PrivacyStar app has introduced an alert system which lets users know the likelihood an unknown number will be a blacklisted company or scammer.

The creators of the app, who collect the numbers of telemarketing businesses and allow users to identify calls and texts before they answer them, have now introduced a new feature to its Android version which lets those users file complaints from companies not yet listed. Using these reports, PrivacyStar then ranks the numbers according to users’ negative responses. Unknown numbers that aren’t connected to a telemarketing company come through as a green call, yellow calls are from known cold callers that haven’t been reported as offensive, and those identified as scammers are flagged with a red color. The app immediately lets users know if they should avoid the call or not. The video below explains more about the app in general:

PrivacyStar joins platforms such as SMC4, which specializes in blocking abusive Twitter users, in enabling users of new technologies to curate the types of communication they receive through them. Are there other ways to help customers take greater control over the content they’re exposed to through online and telecoms services?