November 16, 2006

Click to call project deployed, can also be misused !!

Google finished rolling out their click-to-call functionality on Google Maps today, but after reading an article on Valleywag about how to prank call other people with the service, I got thinking about how else the service could be abused.  Although it's almost certainly against the terms and conditions, the new feature could theoretically allow users to make free long distance phone calls to any North American number.

Since every business listing on Google Maps has the "click-to-call" feature enabled, the only thing you need to do is get listed.  Now instead of dialing a long distance phone number on your phone, you "dial" it through your own business listing on Google Maps.

What can Google do to prevent this from happening?  Honestly, I don't think there is a solution unless Google starts charging businesses to have the "click-to-call" feature enabled.  But with Microsoft Live Local providing the same feature at no cost, there isn't much chance that will happen any time soon.