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In an update to the original post, the Eleventh Circuit granted a reprieve to businesses worried the FCC’s “one-to-one” update to the TCPA Rule. The update was set to go into effect at the end of January, and according to the FCC would “close the lead generator loophole.” Specifically, it would have prohibited “generic consent.” Namely where people agree to be called by “affiliates,” “partners” or third parties. That prohibition would have been true even if those entities were specifically identified elsewhere. It would also have required consent from the individual to be called at a specific phone number, by a specific company, even though this is already required under TCPA.Continue Reading FCC’s One-to-One Consent Rule (UPDATED)

The FCC reminded companies this month that calls containing “artificial or prerecorded voices” are regulated by TCPA. And, that the FCC considers AI-generated voices to be just the kind of “artificial” that fall within the TCPA’s regulations. This announcement was made in a declaratory ruling issued by the FCC at the start of the month.Continue Reading AI-Generated Voice Calls: New Tech, Old Rules

The FCC recently adopted new rules that will limit the volume of calls that can be made to residential phones under certain TCPA consent exceptions. The new rules affect non-telemarketing calls that use an artificial or prerecorded voice. For years, companies have been able to make unlimited numbers of these calls to residential lines without the need for prior express consent if the exceptions applied. Beginning later in 2021, companies will need to follow volume limits for the following types of exempted calls, unless they have obtained prior express consent to make more calls. The new limits will apply to calls that fall into one of these consent exceptions:
Continue Reading FCC Sets Volume Limits For Some Prerecorded Calls to Home Phones

Throughout 2020 we saw many enforcement actions brought by EU and U.S. regulators. Whether for allegations of deception (misleading privacy representations) or unfairness (failure to protect information), COVID did not appear to slow down regulatory action. Laws that many companies forget about -or don’t know as well- were enforced by regulators, as well as through class action lawsuits. This included the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, Illinois’s Biometric Information Privacy Act, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
Continue Reading 2020 In Review: Ongoing Enforcement Actions and a Patchwork of Privacy Laws

The FCC recently issued a declaratory ruling explaining what calls and text message alerts it viewed as “emergency” for purposes of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Under TCPA, requirements to obtain consent to make certain calls and texts to cell phone numbers do not apply when a message is an “emergency.” Under the FCC’s new ruling, certain calls and texts from government officials and healthcare providers about the COVID-19 pandemic will be viewed as emergency messages.
Continue Reading FCC Ruling Helps Clarify What COVID-19 Texts and Calls Are “Emergency” Under TCPA

Two recent judgments against Dish Network LLC (“Dish”) for violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and similar state and federal laws demonstrate the significant liability companies may face based on the actions of their third-party contractors. Dish has been ordered to pay a total of approximately $341 million in two separate federal court actions related to TCPA violations committed by its marketing service providers. Both cases underscore the importance of maintaining strong vendor oversight in the highly regulated telemarketing industry.judge
Continue Reading Dish Network to Dish Out $341M for TCPA Violations