The FCC gets a bad rap, and I’ll admit I’ve complained about them on this blog a lot. This underfunded and understaffed commission is at the center of so much of our digital lives, and yet the way it’s set up, it’s practically impossible for it to work right. Yet, I have hope, and part of that hope is that with a chance to act early, the FCC will actually do its job this time. Before I explain what I mean, here is a quick course on why the FCC is so messed up.
Designed to fail
The group that eventually became known as the Federal Communications Commission was formed in the early 20th century. Its goal was simple: to help sort out the then-new business of radio for regular folks. Radio broadcasting had very quickly evolved from a communication method for boats and first responders to a public medium. Radio had a bigger reach than newspapers, the previous king of communication. In those days, many people felt the purpose of government was to act to preserve the public good, and the FCC was born from that.
Radio was just one of the things people in the early 20th century dealt with. There were pandemics, wars, inflation, economic problems… where was I? Oh yes, just remembering we’re “not that kind of blog.” But the point is that making the FCC a commission, part of the Executive Branch but bound by the votes of the Legislative Branch, must have seemed fair. After all, radio and electronics was never going to be a big part of our lives, right?
Oh yeah.
Despite the fact that literally everything from Bluetooth headsets to microwave ovens, phones, computers, and even hair dryers fall under the FCC’s jurisdiction, it’s still not even an “agency.” It can’t do anything with the force of law. Appointments are made by the President and confirmed by the Senate. This means these days it’s practically impossible to even fill vacancies. There’s still an open seat that’s been sitting there since January, 2021.
What the FCC hasn’t done, and could do
The FCC has repeatedly failed at its attempts to stop unsolicited messaging of any kind. I’m talking about spam calls, robocalls, spam e-mails, that sort of thing. They tried using the Do Not Call registry. That was fine but since it was created in 2003 it doesn’t account for internet-based telephone services. They won’t ever do anything about spam emails because Section 230 of the Telecommunications act says they don’t have to. The problem has gotten so bad that most regular folks don’t even communicate with each other over email anymore. They’ve also ditched land lines since robocallers have an easier time reaching them.
Recent regulations and systems like STIR/SHAKEN promise to do “something” about robocalls, but it may not be enough. It may be impossible to end that practice. But, there’s a chance for the FCC to make a difference in a new way.
Time to act on spam texts
Chances are in the last year you’ve started getting spam texts. Some are obvious, promising you money or some reward for clicking on a web site. Some are less obvious. They look like a wrong number text from a friendly person, but when you engage them, these people are trying to steal your identity or get you to spend money.
New tools have made it easier than ever for companies to market using text messaging. That’s not a bad thing, but it can be misused. It’s time for the FCC to look at how text can be used for legitimate businesses and how regular folks can block spam texts without blocking all unknown senders.
I don’t know what can be done, but that’s why I don’t sit on the FCC. There has to be a solution and now’s the time to do it before things get out of control. If spam texts start taking over, people will move to other messaging platforms and that can be a real problem. Right now pretty much anyone can reach anyone over text. But what if some of your friends only used WhatsApp, some used Discord, some used Facebook Messenger, etc. I could see that being a nightmare, but it’s going to happen if texting becomes as bad as email.
I’m begging you here
Hey FCC, I know I’ve complained about you in the past. I’ve been pretty cruel to Chairpersons Pai and Wheeler. But hey, let’s put that behind us, ok? Let’s figure out a way to deal with spam texts now, before things get totally out of control. Spam, robocalls, and unsoliticed calls are a public menace. OK, you weren’t expecting it then. But now, we all know what’s coming up so it’s time to take action while we still can.
Please?
