FCC clarifies rules on emergency COVID-19 related calls
The FCC Consumer and Government Affairs Bureau issued a public notice to clarify rules of the emergency exception to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) for calls related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s an overview.
- The TCPA has rules against placing autodialed calls to consumers without their consent.
- The TCPA provides an exception to these rules for calls made for emergency purposes.
- On March 13, 2020, the President declared a national emergency for the pandemic.
- On March 20, 2020, the FCC issued a Declaratory Ruling that the pandemic constitutes an emergency under the TCPA.
- Hospitals, healthcare providers, state and local health officials and government officials may lawfully communicate through automated calls or texts information about the novel coronavirus and mitigation efforts.
![FCC clarifies rules on emergency COVID-19 related calls](/assets/img/female-radiologist-phone-400x225-84c98187f3.jpg)
There are two conditions that must be met to be covered by this exemption:
- The caller must be from a hospital, health care provider, state or local health official or other government official, or a person under the express direction of such an organization and acting on its behalf.
- The content of the call must be solely informational, made necessary because of the COVID-19 outbreak, and directly related to the imminent health or safety risk arising from the outbreak.
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