FCC weighs request to allow political robocalls with AI voices before midterms
In short
The Federal Communications Commission is considering a request from the conservative Club for Growth to loosen rules on political robocalls to cellphones, including calls using artificial intelligence-generated voices, ahead of November's midterm elections. The Republican-led FCC advanced the petition for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October. Consumer advocacy groups warn the change could produce a surge of unwanted and potentially misleading automated calls in the final days of the campaign.
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The Federal Communications Commission is considering a request to loosen rules on political robocalls, including those that use artificial intelligence-generated voices, before November's midterm elections. Federal law currently bans most robocalls to cellphones unless the caller obtains consent beforehand, and the petition calls for a waiver that would let political groups use artificial or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls. The Republican-led FCC advanced the request for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The Club for Growth, described as a right-leaning economic policy group seeking the change, said it could help political organizations better communicate with potential voters, including in more languages, and improve polling, according to the AP report. The Associated Press account identifies the petitioner only as a conservative group. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Consumer advocacy groups warn the proposed change could trigger a surge of unwanted, partisan and potentially misleading automated calls in the critical final days of the election, which will determine which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Tim Harper, who leads the elections team at the Washington-based Center for Democracy and Technology, said granting the waiver could weaken a major deterrent for bad actors. Such a ruling close to Election Day would open “a huge opportunity for abuse during a period where harm has outsized impact,” he said, adding that “campaigns will use this technology to target voters in deceptive ways.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The documents point to a precedent from two years ago during the presidential primary season, when thousands of voters in New Hampshire received a robocall with an AI-generated voice of then-President Joe Biden. The call suggested voters should forgo casting a ballot in the primary and “save” their votes for the general election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Under the waiver request now before the FCC, some state and federal laws protecting against deception and voter intimidation would continue to prohibit certain misleading election-related messages. Whether the FCC grants the waiver, and on what terms, is not yet reported. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The decision would set the rules for how political groups may reach voters by phone in the weeks before an election that determines which party controls Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term. Consumer advocates say a waiver granted close to Election Day would remove a deterrent against deceptive automated messaging; the group seeking the change says it would help political organizations communicate with voters.
Key facts
- The FCC is considering a request by a conservative group to loosen rules on political robocalls, including those with artificial intelligence-generated voices, before November's midterm elections. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Federal law currently bans most robocalls to cellphones unless the caller gets consent beforehand. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The petition calls for a waiver allowing political groups to use artificial or prerecorded voices in unsolicited wireless calls. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Republican-led FCC advanced the request for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Club for Growth, described as a right-leaning economic policy group, is seeking the change, saying it could help political organizations better communicate with potential voters, including in more languages. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Consumer advocacy groups warn the proposed change could trigger a surge of unwanted, partisan and potentially misleading automated calls in the final days of the election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Two years ago during the presidential primary season, thousands of voters in New Hampshire received a robocall with an AI-generated voice of then-President Joe Biden that suggested voters forgo casting a ballot in the primary and “save” their votes for the general election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Some state and federal laws against deception and voter intimidation would continue to prohibit certain misleading election-related messages under the waiver, but granting it could weaken a major deterrent for bad actors, according to Tim Harper of the Center for Democracy and Technology. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The FCC is considering a request to loosen rules on political robocalls, including those using artificial intelligence-generated voices, before November's midterm elections. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Federal law currently bans most robocalls to cellphones without prior consent from the caller. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The Republican-led FCC advanced the request for public comment and could rule on it as soon as late October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Consumer advocacy groups warn the change could lead to a surge of unwanted and potentially misleading automated calls in the closing days of the election. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the FCC will grant the waiver and on what terms. The documents say the request has advanced for public comment and could be ruled on as soon as late October, but no decision is reported.
- The full identity and description of the group petitioning the FCC. The Associated Press account refers only to “a conservative group,” while two other outlets name the Club for Growth and describe it as a right-leaning economic policy group.
- The Club for Growth's full argument, including the reference to improving polling. The article text in two outlets is truncated mid-sentence.”
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Associated Press reports the FCC is considering the conservative group's request and that consumer advocates warn of a surge in automated calls. [ 1 ]
- The Seattle Times publishes the AP report, which names the Club for Growth and includes comments from Tim Harper of the Center for Democracy and Technology. [ 2 ]
- The Boston Globe publishes the same AP report. [ 3 ]
- Reuters carries a headline that the US agency is considering allowing new AI political robocalls before the election. [ 4 ]