The Federal Communications Commission is seeking comments on a proposal to protect information submitted to its newly created Robocall Mitigation Database.
The FCC is requiring voice service providers to submit certifications that detail the providers’ efforts to stem the origination of illegal robocalls on their networks. While the creation of the database is intended to promote transparency and allow parties to review the steps that different carriers are taking to identify and block illegal robocall traffic, the FCC identified that some of the information that voice service providers will be submitting is sensitive and highly confidential information will need to be protected.
Comments are being requested with respect to the process for submitting confidential information by voice service providers. To protect information, the FCC is proposing limiting which types of organizations and individuals will have access to the confidential submissions made by the providers. Among the categories of entities that will have access to the information are:
- Federal, state, local, and Tribal governmental entities involved in robocall enforcement; the registered industry traceback consortium;
- The STIR/SHAKEN Governance Authority;
- Intermediate providers and voice service providers who accept call traffic directly from a voice service provider listed in the database and request to review what actions that provider is taking to combat the origination of illegal robocalls
For the last group, the FCC is proposing limiting access to the requesting party’s outside counsel and consultants, as well as the employees and support personnel of those outside firms. “We propose limiting access to these groups to balance the Commission’s goals of promoting transparency in robocall mitigation efforts and protecting providers’ sensitive information from competitors and bad actors attempting to circumvent these mitigation efforts,” the FCC said.
