Friday, February 16, 2018
By Jessica Terashima, Follow me on Google+
In 1991, the U.S. Congress enacted the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to regulate how marketers contact people. The goal of the TCPA was to protect consumers from intrusive calling practices. The act covered telemarketing calls, automatic dialing systems, and pre-recorded messages.
As marketing approaches evolved, so did the TCPA. In 2003 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) joined with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create the national Do-Not-Call Registry, which allows consumers to opt out of all business-related telemarketing. In 2012, the FCC refined the act with new permission guidelines for telemarketing and automated calls.
The TCPA covers much more than this. There are rules about when telemarketers can contact consumers, how quickly they should disconnect from unanswered calls, and the marketing exemptions for nonprofits. Check out a more thorough Summary of the TCPA or a deeper dive into the Telemarketing Rules.
As marketing approaches evolved, so did the TCPA. In 2003 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) joined with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to create the national Do-Not-Call Registry, which allows consumers to opt out of all business-related telemarketing. In 2012, the FCC refined the act with new permission guidelines for telemarketing and automated calls.
Why the TCPA Matters
The TCPA rules are relevant for CallFire customers because our technology allows users to make automated calls using pre-recorded messages. We want our customers to be successful with their marketing efforts and a big part of that means staying compliant. We’re not giving legal advice, but here are some of the key pieces currently detailed in the TCPA:- Telemarketers must get prior written consent (digital consent counts too) from consumers before adding them to their automatic dialing list.
- Doing business with a customer doesn’t mean they are opted-in.
- Telemarketers must provide a way for customers to opt-out of automated calls during the call itself (ie. Press 9 to opt out).
The TCPA covers much more than this. There are rules about when telemarketers can contact consumers, how quickly they should disconnect from unanswered calls, and the marketing exemptions for nonprofits. Check out a more thorough Summary of the TCPA or a deeper dive into the Telemarketing Rules.