FCC States Robocall Laws Exclude Federal Gov. Calls

Back in July 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) held that robocalls made by the federal government or on its behalf are exempt from the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The FCC stated that the federal government does not meet the law’s definition of a “person.”

The 1991 TCPA law bars people and businesses from placing auto-dialed calls to cell phones, but the FCC concluded that the federal government is exempt from the TCPA, as well as contractors making calls for the federal government  –  as long as the contractor complies with the government’s instructions.

The FCC stated that the goal of the TCPA is not to impede communications from the federal government. Rather, the TCPA is meant to stop other intrusive robocalls calls made to cell phones by commercial companies.

The FCC’s ruling does not address whether calls made by state and local governments or their agents also are exempt from the TCPA.  The ruling also does not provide an exemption for political campaign robocalls. We will continue to report on updates by the FCC on robocall laws and how they related to the TCPA.

Have you received a robocall or spam call to your phone?

If you have received unwanted and unsolicited robocalls or spam calls on your phone or cell phone, contact an experienced robocall lawyer at Dimond Kaplan & Rothstein, P.A. today for a consultation to discuss your potential legal claims.