Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Not to mention that these "phone books" also included everyone's address, and married couples were usually listed together.


Yeah, you could get an unlisted number but you were charged for it and almost no one did because it was also how people you wanted to get in touch with you found you a lot of the time. Not that data breaches aren't bad but a lot of the breached info has been pretty routinely available for a very long time. (And, as you say, cell phone numbers are probably less routinely available than landlines were.)

I don't go out of my way to publish my cell or address but a lot of people have them.


My old man was a doctor and the local phone company at the time (GTE) automatically made our home number unlisted. Presumably this was done for other “critical” professions who might receive many home calls that should be directed at their place of work.

Being unlisted was sometimes devastating to a 1980s kid’s social life… I missed out on multiple birthday parties and other invitations. My sisters probably lost out on some dating opportunities.




Consider applying for YC's Winter 2026 batch! Applications are open till Nov 10

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: