WASHINGTON – Late yesterday, a coalition of consumer and privacy advocacy organizations told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect consumers from unwanted and illegal calls and text messages. These calls invade consumers’ privacy and often play a key role in perpetrating fraud. Existing FCC rules protect consumers, but are threatened as part of the Administration’s push to get rid of rules. The coalition filed comments in response to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s invitation to “Delete, Delete, Delete” and suggest FCC regulations to be repealed. Almost all of the over 500 comments to date are from industry, seeking to strip consumers of protections from unwanted calls and texts.
“Unwanted robocalls invade people’s privacy, hinder small business owners’ productivity, and threaten public safety by tying up telephone lines,” said Patrick Crotty, senior attorney at NCLC. “The FCC must reject efforts by debt collectors, telemarketers, and other robocallers and texters to ‘delete’ important consumer protections against misconduct and harassment.”
The Reply Comment was submitted by NCLC, on behalf of its low-income clients, Consumer Action, Consumer Federation of America, Electronic Privacy Information Center, National Association of Consumer Advocates, National Consumers League, Public Knowledge, U.S. PIRG and Utility Action Network (TURN).
U.S. consumers received nearly 53 billion robocalls in 2024, and the FCC has recognized that this avalanche of unwanted robocalls reduces the value of the telephone system. In February, Chairman Carr promised that cracking down on illegal robocalls will be a top priority at the FCC.
As the comments warn, the industry commenters are “mesmerized by the possibilities of enlarging their business income through the eradication of current consumer protections.”
“Comments complaining about regulations come from callers who want to be free to bombard consumers and small businesses with unwanted calls without cost or consequence,” said Margot Saunders, senior attorney at NCLC. “If the calling industry is successful in weakening the FCC’s protections from unwanted text messages and robocalls, everyone will suffer.”
Advocates hope to convince the FCC to strengthen, not weaken, the regulations issued pursuant to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) that provide protections to consumers and small businesses relying on access to communications services. The groups also urged the FCC to focus on protections against scams and frauds, and preserve access to calling services for incarcerated people.
Related Resources
- Press release: After FCC Abandons Popular Telemarketing Rule, Consumers Take Action to Save It, Feb. 20, 2025
- Seven Top Tips for Consumers to Stop Illegal Robocalls, Dec. 16, 2024
- Report: Scam Robocalls: Telecom Providers Profit, June 1, 2022
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