Good Question: Why am I still getting phonebooks?

ROCHESTER N.Y. (WHEC) — Let’s answer a good question about phonebooks.

When’s the last time you picked up one of these to actually use it? Five, ten, 15 years ago? Longer than that?

Most of us fall into that category. We can just Google whatever we need, which leads us to this. Neighbors around the area just got their latest phonebooks recently with the deliveries going out for the year.

Let’s be honest, hardly anyone uses these. Best case? They get recycled. Worst case? It’s just wasted paper ending up in the trash or landfill.

So why do these keep showing up?

The quick answer, you haven’t told anyone to stop it. What gets sent out these days, mass delivery of Yellow Pages. Businesses’ listings with numbers, ads, and coupons are still sent around Rochester and beyond.

Tired of getting them? You have to go to Yellowpagesoptout.com.

Create an account, then go through the step-by-step process to stop delivery. It takes just a few minutes.

There’s also this FAQ page addressing some common concerns, like am I going to get spam? Are you going to use my personal information?

The site states information provided to Yellowpagesoptout.com will never be used for advertising or marketing. It will only be used for purposes related to honoring the opt-out request.

And how long will it take for my request to be processed?

"Because of directories already in publication, it may take up to 12 weeks for publishers to process your opt-out requests,” said the website “So, while you may still receive a directory this year if you opt-out close to the time of a delivery, you will not receive one the following year."

So that’s Yellow Pages. The White Pages haven’t gone out in a few years.

Those are instead just posted online unless someone wants a physical copy. You have to ask for that and they may not be available everywhere.