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FCC To Consider Making Text Messaging an Information Service, Denying Twilio Petition (fiercewireless.com)
The FCC has unveiled a new proposal as part of its plan to help reduce unwanted phone and text spam. From a report: In a move that's sure to make wireless operators happy, the FCC at its December meeting will consider a draft Declaratory Ruling on text messaging that would formally rule text messaging services are information services, not telecommunications services. That means carriers will be able to continue using robotext-blocking and anti-spoofing measures to protect consumers from unwanted text messages. Chairman Ajit Pai revealed the plan in a blog post highlighting items on the Dec. 12 meeting agenda.
"Today's wireless messaging providers apply filtering to prevent large volumes of unwanted messages from ever reaching your phone," Pai wrote. "However, there's been an effort underway to put these successful consumer protections at risk. In 2015, a mass-texting company named Twilio petitioned the FCC, arguing that wireless messaging should be classified as a 'telecommunications service.' This may not seem like a big deal, but such a classification would dramatically curb the ability of wireless providers to use robotext-blocking, anti-spoofing, and other anti-spam features."
That's why he's circulating a Declaratory Ruling that would instead classify wireless messaging as an "information service," denying Twilio's petition [PDF]. "Aside from being a more legally sound approach, this decision would keep the floodgates to a torrent of spam texts closed, remove regulatory uncertainty, and empower providers to continue finding innovative ways to protect consumers from unwanted text messages," Pai said.
"Today's wireless messaging providers apply filtering to prevent large volumes of unwanted messages from ever reaching your phone," Pai wrote. "However, there's been an effort underway to put these successful consumer protections at risk. In 2015, a mass-texting company named Twilio petitioned the FCC, arguing that wireless messaging should be classified as a 'telecommunications service.' This may not seem like a big deal, but such a classification would dramatically curb the ability of wireless providers to use robotext-blocking, anti-spoofing, and other anti-spam features."
That's why he's circulating a Declaratory Ruling that would instead classify wireless messaging as an "information service," denying Twilio's petition [PDF]. "Aside from being a more legally sound approach, this decision would keep the floodgates to a torrent of spam texts closed, remove regulatory uncertainty, and empower providers to continue finding innovative ways to protect consumers from unwanted text messages," Pai said.
We should just get new rules for Telecom services that allow providers to implement agreeable blocking measures.
We rely on texts. My provider should not have unilateral authority to decide what text messages I do and don't receive,
assuming all the text messages are from an authentic (Non-Spoofed) source.
However, the FCC should also allow protections against SPOOFING and reasonable Denial of Service attack protections for Telecom services....
And as for blocking spam for telecom services: BOTH text message-based AND call-based robocalling and solicitation attempts ---
Providers SHOULD be encouraged and allowed to provide filtering, provided recipients have the option of controlling and/or opting out entirely of
content filtering services if so desired, And rate limits above a reasonable amount of traffic To/From a particular authentic sender/recipient should be allowed
with an Option of notification to the recipient when some messages are being suppressed.
For example: A system where someone can't send you more than a few text messages before you have replied.
Or better yet, a system where "unknown contacts" can only send you 1 or 2 messages per day unless you "Add" them to friends.
Also, someone who sends a text message to more than 3 unique recipients in an hour who never sent them a text and don't have them on their friends list will become rate limited to 1 text per 15 minutes.
"...Chairman Pai’s action would give carriers unlimited freedom to censor any speech they consider ‘controversial,’ " This is from some guy that has a beef with FCC, but still seems to be a real concern.