Michelle ThompsonThe Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is looking to prohibit the use of artificial intelligence to create robocalls. This decision follows a recent incident in which an AI-generated robocall mimicking President Joe Biden targeted numerous New Hampshire voters. Additionally, US officials are concerned that AI technology could be exploited to spread disinformation during the 2024 election.
The FCC’s proposal involves criminalizing AI-generated robocalls under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This move would make “voice cloning technology used in common robocall scams targeting consumers” illegal. The FCC stated that these types of calls have been on the rise in recent years, as this technology can mimic the voices of celebrities, political candidates, and even family members to confuse consumers with false information. By taking this step, the FCC aims to provide State Attorneys General with new tools to pursue individuals responsible for these deceptive robocalls and hold them accountable.
The TCPA, established in 1991, regulates telemarketing and robocalls to reduce unwanted calls. It has previously been used to prosecute cases involving robocalls, such as one against conservative activists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, who conducted a voter suppression campaign during the 2020 election. This campaign resulted in the FCC imposing a record-breaking fine of $5 million.
House Democrats are also taking action against AI-generated robocalls by proposing comprehensive changes to the nation’s robocall regulations, as reported by CNN earlier this week.
The number of robocalls made in the US reached its peak at approximately 58.5 billion in 2019, according to estimates from YouMail, a service that blocks robocalls. In the previous year, that number was closer to 55 billion.
The recent incident involving a fake robocall impersonating President Biden and advising voters not to participate in the New Hampshire primary has raised concerns among policymakers, marking the potential start of an election season plagued by disinformation.
