…are calling on the Government to change the Data Protection Act 1998 so that marketeers can no longer use opt-out boxes.

When you give your name and address to a potential junk mailer you can usually tick an opt-out box to prevent your personal details are going to be used for 'direct marketing' purposes. Many junk mailers hide such opt-out boxes somewhere in the small print. They do so in the hope that people won't notice them - and thereby consent to receiving junk mail and having their personal details sold by list brokers. This is an aggressive form of marketing that should be banned.

We, the undersigned, agree there's a simple solution; opt-out boxes should be replaced by the opt-in boxes. Currently it's assumed people want to receive 'further information' or 'special offers' every time they give their name and address to an organisation - even though research shows that the vast majority of people routinely tick opt-out boxes. Making 'opted out' the default option is fair and will prevent people's personal details are used as a commodity by accident.