Exceptional AI-Generated Robocalls Banned You Didn't Ask...But : Here We Go Again by Brett Matthew West

I have said it before and I will say it again. I DESPISE ALL FORMS OF SCAMS!!! In an unanimous vote on Thursday, February 8, 2024, the Federal Communications Commission outlawed telephone calls made by using artificial intelligence-generated voices. Prompted by an AI-generated telephone message in January of 2024 that used Joe Biden's voice to encourage New Hampshire voters to skip that state's Primary, this measure prohibits some robocalls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act...to an extent. One that does not travel anywhere near far enough. Of course, the New Hampshire Attorney General's office is probing this call as an attempt at voter suppression. Rightfully so. In reference to this particular AI-generated robocall, Jessica Rosenworcel, the Chairwoman of the FCC, stated, "Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to extort vulnerable family members, imitate celebrities, and misinform voters. We're putting the fraudsters behind these robocalls on notice. State Attorney Generals will now have new tools to crack down on these scams and ensure the public is protected from fraud and misinformation." Technology must shoulder much of the blame for these unwanted AI-generated robocalls that have continued to increase with each recent passing year. In addition, many of the perpetrators of these calls have previously been accused of various crimes. In regards to the aforementioned AI-generated robocall to thousands of New Hampshire voters, that state's Attorney General John Formella stated investigators traced the call to the Texas-based Life Corp, and its owner Walter Monk. Both of these entities, as well as the Texas-based Lingo Telecom, have received cease-and-desist orders and subpoenas. Robert Weissman, the President of the consumer advocacy group known as Public Citizen, stated, "Thank you, FCC, for today's desperately needed rule outlawing AI voice-generated robocalls. This rule will meaningfully protect consumers from rapidly spreading AI scams and deceptions. Every agency should follow suit and apply the tools and laws at their disposal to regulate AI." I could not agree more. However, in a follow-up email on the same subject, Weissman elaborated, "The terms of the underlying statute have limitations. Election-related groups and nonprofits can still make AI-generated robocalls to landline telephones," While the action by the FCC makes using AI to generate the voice in robocalls illegal in some situations, here is where the FCC's ruling fails miserably: -Commercial or not, AI-generated robocalls are still allowed to be made to landline telephones by auto-dialers or prerecorded artificial voices as long as the call is not about an emergency situation. -The FCC ruling does not apply to AI-generated robocalls made to wireless telephones. Under the FCC's newest ruling, AI-generated robocalls can no longer be made to emergency lines, hospitals, or healthcare facilities. Further, the ruling limits non-commercial calls, and those from nonprofit organizations, to residential lines to no more than three calls within a 30-day consecutive period. Callers must also honor consumer opt-out requests for future calls. Now, let's just see how well these rulings are actually enforced. Not intending to turn this Commentary political, but tend to lean towards what Representative Yvette Clark (D-NY) said about the necessities for Congressional interventions pertaining to AI-generated robocalls. She stated, "We all know how destructive robocalls can be, and this decision {by the FCC} as amazing as it is, won't stop bad actors from trying to scam everyday Americans or eliminate their attempts to undermine our elections. So, the next step is for Congress to act - and fast. I believe Democrats and Republicans can agree that AI-generated content used to deceive people is a bad thing, and we need to work together to help folks have the tools necessary to help discern what's real and what isn't." Did I casually mention how much I DESPISE ALL SCAMS? Author Notes Robby Robot, by eileen0204, selected to complement my posting.

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