Cipher (communication)

The cipher process for anonymous communication is often used in print products for real estate , job and partnership advertisements. Organizations concerned with data protection also use this procedure. Almost all major print media make this form of anonymous communication available to advertisers .

Background and process

The author of the advertisement does not want to be named or leave any communication information such as telephone number or email address. The provider of the medium therefore provides the author with a cipher code that represents his anonymous mailbox. Readers of the ad can send their messages to the newspaper using this cipher code. The newspaper forwards this news to the writer of the advertisement.

example

1. The author of a real estate advertisement chooses the box number method for his newspaper.
2. He gets the code GH74HI7 from his newspaper
3. The real estate advertisement ends with: Reply to box number GH74HI7
4. The interested party writes a letter to the newspaper with the additional address code GH74HI7
5. The newspaper forwards this letter to the writer of the advertisement
6. If interested, the author turns to the interested party

criticism

The criticism that dubious companies could hide behind boxed advertisements in job applications is partially true.

See also

• Postage card

Web links

• www.phila-lexikon.de: Cipher letter

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Archive link ( Memento of the original from October 23, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ www.vnr.de  ( page no longer available )