FCC, Privacy Laws, Telecommunications

FCC Proposes New AI-Generated Robocall Rules

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck on 8/19/2024

On Aug. 7, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to propose new rules to require callers to disclose if they are using artificial intelligence (AI) in robocalls and robotexts. If adopted, the new rules would set...more

Ring, Ring, it’s the FCC Calling- TracFone to Pay $16M to Settle FCC Investigation

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 8/2/2024

TracFone, the pre-paid phone company, recently settled with the FCC over allegations that the company failed to protect customer information during three different data incidents. According to the FCC, in each of the...more

Fifth Circuit Shocks Telecom Industry by Overturning the FCC’s Universal Service Fund

Perkins Coie on 8/1/2024

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently ruled in a closely divided 9-7 en banc decision that the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) method of funding the Universal Service Fund (USF) is an...more

A Wake-Up Call for Data Privacy in the Telecom Sector

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 6/25/2024

The FCC continues to take a more active role in privacy with its enforcement of the customer propriety network information (“CPNI”) regulations. Recently, the FCC released Forfeiture Orders against the three largest mobile...more

FCC’s Net Neutrality Redux: Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 6/7/2024

On May 7, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued its latest network neutrality order, Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet (the "Order"), which was published in the Federal Register on May 22, 2024,...more

FCC Declares AI-Generated Robocalls Unlawful

Perkins Coie on 2/16/2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated robocalls may trick some consumers into thinking they are being called by a human being, but the Federal Communications Commission clarified in a recent AI Declaratory Ruling that it...more

FCC and FTC Announce new AI Calling and Voice Initiatives

Ballard Spahr LLP on 11/22/2023

On November 16th, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) and Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced new independent initiatives regarding the use and implications of AI technologies on consumers in the context of...more

FCC Proposes To Reinstate Net Neutrality

Perkins Coie on 10/26/2023

The Federal Communications Commission recently adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reestablish its authority over broadband internet access service (BIAS) by reinstating its net neutrality rules. The NPRM...more

ALERT: The FCC Fines Companies $20 Million for Failing to Safeguard Customer Proprietary Network Information

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 9/1/2023

Recently, the FCC reminded telecom providers that the cost of failing to protect their customers’ privacy is steep. In a July 28, 2023 Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, the Federal Communications Commission fined Q...more

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Calling Activity Presents TCPA Compliance Considerations

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP on 8/25/2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is in the spotlight, and there are many eager to adopt such technology. For businesses that have incorporated or are seeking to incorporate AI into their processes, applicable legal restrictions...more

FCC Revokes Chinese Telecom’s US Authorizations

Perkins Coie on 2/4/2022

In recent years, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and other executive branch national security agencies to restrict China’s influence on U.S....more

COVID-19: Hospitals and Health Care Providers Included in New Guidance on the Emergency Purpose Exception to the Telephone...

Foley & Lardner LLP on 4/9/2020

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued a Declaratory Ruling providing guidance (Guidance) on the implementation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA) as COVID-19 continues to necessitate...more

[Event] Who's in the Driver's Seat? What the Connected Car Shows Us About the Legal and Regulatory Issues of the Internet of...

BakerHostetler on 2/9/2017

The Internet of Things (IoT) is creating unprecedented opportunities and challenges – launching groundbreaking collaboration among disparate industries and generating insightful data from uncommon sources....more

The Clock Has Started: What ISPs Need to Do and When to Comply with the FCC’s Broadband Privacy Rules

Proskauer on Privacy on 12/8/2016

On December 2, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) published its Report and Order entitled “Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and Other Telecommunications Services” (the “Order”) as a final rule...more

FCC’s Broadband Privacy Order: Dead on Arrival?

Perkins Coie on 11/15/2016

The Federal Communications Commission recently released an order containing new privacy protections for customers of broadband internet access service (BIAS) providers, which was adopted by a 3-2 vote along partisan lines. In...more

FCC Imposes Privacy Restrictions on Broadband Providers…For Now

Pillsbury - CommLawCenter on 11/11/2016

As he rushes to accomplish his list of objectives before the change in administrations, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler was able to cross one off that list last week. For the first time, the FCC imposed privacy requirements on...more

New FCC Privacy Rules for Broadband and Voice Providers

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP on 11/9/2016

In an order issued November 2, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission for the first time imposed privacy requirements on providers of broadband internet access services (“BIAS”). The much-anticipated order was an...more

One Less Sheriff In Town: Ninth Circuit Rules that Communications Common Carriers are Exempt from FTC Enforcement

Womble Bond Dickinson on 9/6/2016

On August 29, 2016, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a major decision restructuring how common carriers are regulated at the federal level. The Ninth Circuit interpreted Section 5 of the FTC Act, which...more

Third Circuit Allows Putative TCPA Class Action to Proceed, Citing FCC Ruling

BakerHostetler on 10/29/2015

On October 23, 2015, the Third Circuit vacated a summary judgment decision in Yahoo, Inc.’s favor based on a recent Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) order that expanded the definition of an “autodialer” under the...more

Alphabet Soup and Data Security

Bilzin Sumberg on 10/19/2015

In the span of two days, mobile device users learned of two data breaches that could compromise their personal data. In one, Experian (a credit reporting agency) reported that it was hacked, potentially putting 15 million...more

Second Chance to File Oppositions to CTIA Challenge

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 10/7/2015

In its June 2015 Lifeline Order on Reconsideration, the FCC adopted a new rule which requires ETCs to retain documentation demonstrating subscriber eligibility for Lifeline, such as a copy of the applicant’s food stamp card...more

Avoiding the Costly “Robo No-No”

Buchalter on 9/17/2015

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”) was enacted to protect consumers from intrusive robocalls, but Congress probably did not foresee that it would result in a windfall for plaintiff’s lawyers. Virtually every...more

FCC Chairman Issues Fact Sheet Announcing Proposed Omnibus Declaratory Rulings to Address TCPA Petitions

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 5/29/2015

On Wednesday, May 27, 2015, the FCC released a Fact Sheet announcing that Chairman Wheeler circulated a proposal to the other Commissioners for resolution of two dozen pending petitions seeking clarification of the FCC’s...more

The Anonymization/De-identification Debate Moves to the FCC

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 1/7/2014

As explained in our recent PrivSec blog post, on Dec. 11, 2013, a coalition of privacy advocates led by Public Knowledge filed a Petition for Declaratory Ruling with the FCC that, if granted, would significantly expand the...more

FCC Asked To Rule That Anonymized Phone Call Data May Not Be Shared Absent Customer Consent Under CPNI Rules

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 12/19/2013

A coalition of privacy advocates filed a petition for declaratory ruling with the FCC on December 11, 2013 seeking a significant tightening of the Commission’s existing rules that limit the sharing of Customer Proprietary...more

The United States Federal Communications Commission › Privacy Laws › Telecommunications

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