FCC Gives Carriers the Option To Block Text Messages

An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: The Federal Communications Commission said it's getting tough on text message spam by clarifying that phone companies can block unwanted texts. At its monthly meeting Wednesday, the Republican-led agency voted 3-1 to classify SMS text messages as a so-called Title I information service under the Telecom Act. The three Republicans on the FCC, which voted to adopt the classification, said this would allow phone companies to block spam text messages.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said the new classification would empower wireless providers to stop unwanted text messages. 'The FCC shouldn't make it easier for spammers and scammers to bombard consumers with unwanted texts,' he said during the meeting. 'And we shouldn't allow unwanted messages to plague wireless messaging services in the same way that unwanted robocalls flood voice services.' But he said that's what would happen if the FCC were to classify text messages as a Title II telecommunications service under the law. Jessica Rosenworcel, the lone Democrat on the FCC, disagrees with the classification. 'Today's decision offers consumers no new ability to prevent robotexts,' she said.'It simply provides that carriers can block our text messages and censor the very content of those messages themselves.'
She says the FCC did the same thing to the internet last year when it repealed Obama-era net neutrality rules. 'That means on the one-year anniversary of the FCC's misguided net neutrality decision -- which gave your broadband provider the power to block websites and censor online content -- this agency is celebrating by expanding those powers to also include your text messages,' she added.

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