Chair Jessica Rosenworcel says AI technology used for “robocall scams” should be illegal and enforced by state attorneys general.
02/07/2024 11:55 A.M.
2 minute read
Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel wants calls made with voices generated by artificial intelligence to be considered illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, according to a news release (PDF).
The proposal would make “voice cloning technology used in common robocalls scams targeting consumers illegal,” the FCC reports.
“AI-generated voice cloning and images are already sowing confusion by tricking consumers into thinking scams and frauds are legitimate,” Rosenworcel said. “No matter what celebrity or politician you favor, or what your relationship is with your kin when they call for help, it is possible we could all be a target of these faked calls.”
The FCC says it will provide new tools to state attorneys general to enforce the calls under the TCPA.
In November, as part of its focus on protecting consumers from illegal telephone calls and text messages, the FCC approved a Notice of Inquiry to better understand the impact of AI technologies, ACA previously reported.
Following the notice, a coalition of 26 state attorneys urged the FCC to restrict use of AI in marketing phone calls.
The AGs submitted comments to the FCC noting that marketing companies seeking to use AI to impersonate a human voice should be required to follow TCPA rules on artificial voices, particularly that consumers provide prior express written consent for the calls.
The FCC has a Memorandum of Understanding with 48 state attorneys general to stop robocalls, according to the news release.
Consumer protections against “robocalls” are also the subject of comprehensive legislation on Capitol Hill. The Do Not Disturb Act builds on protection and illegal robocall mitigation in the TCPA and the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, authored by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., and U.S. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., ACA previously reported.
What became the final version of the TRACED Act transformed significantly as ACA advocated for changes to several iterations of the legislation, including definitions of the called party, improved language concerning call blocking and removing broad language about consent revocation, ACA previously reported.
ACA will build on our advocacy on the TRACED Act and continued work with the FCC for the broader financial services industry to address misguided proposals in the Do Not Disturb Act.
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