FCC Reaches Out to Consumers on TCPA Issues

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is increasing its visibility in response to what it has repeatedly cited as its largest source of consumer complaints to the Commission: autodialed and prerecorded calls (which the FCC groups together as so-called robocalls”). In addition to pushing for industry-based solutions to unwanted calls to consumers through initiatives such as the Robocall Strike Force,” the FCC also has begun reaching out to consumers directly to publicize the Commission’s initiatives to enforce the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

Last Thursday, the FCC held an hour-long town hall” session on Twitter during which FCC staff clarified restrictions on autodialed calls that can be placed to consumers’ home and wireless phone numbers. Several tweets released during the session also told consumers how they could file complaints if they receive what they believe to be an impermissible call, and encouraged consumers to visit the FCC’s website to learn more about the Commission’s initiatives on this issue.

And yesterday, the FCC announced that the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau will host a webinar for consumers entitled How to Deal with Robocalls” on Wednesday, December 14, 2016 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM. A detailed agenda for the webinar will be released at a later date, but the FCC indicated in its Public Notice that the event will explain the FCC’s role in addressing this issue and the steps consumers can take to protect themselves from and/or decrease the amount of robocalls they receive.”