US bans robocalls to spoof AI-generated votes after Biden’s deep lie

Following a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling, inappropriate robocalls — or artificial intelligence-generated voices used in automated phone calls — are officially illegal in the United States.

In a statement on February 8, the agency announced that the Federal Communications Commission has unanimously approved that calls made by AI-generated voices are “man-made” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

“This will give state attorneys general across the country new tools to pursue the bad actors behind these nefarious robocalls.

The FCC ban comes weeks after New Hampshire residents received fake voicemails impersonating US President Joe Biden and advising them not to vote in the state's primary election.

I'm standing with 50 attorneys general against the company that allegedly used AI to impersonate the president with robocalls before the New Hampshire primary. Such deceptive practices have no place in our democracy. pic.twitter.com/ql4FQzutdl

— AZ Attorney General Kris Mayes (@AZAGMayes) February 8, 2024

Robocall scams are illegal under the TCPA – the US law that regulates telemarketing. The final ruling would outlaw the “voice cloning technology” used in the scam. The rule will take effect immediately, the FCC said.

“Bad actors are using AI-generated voices in unsolicited robocalls to exploit vulnerable family members, impersonate celebrities and misinform voters. We are putting the scammers behind these robocalls,” said FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel.

The FCC first proposed legalizing AI robocalls under the TCPA on January 31, 1991, a rule regulating automated political and marketing calls made without the recipient's consent.

The main purpose of the TCPA is to protect consumers from unwanted and intrusive communications or “spam calls” and to limit telemarketing calls, automated telephone dialing systems, and artificial or pre-recorded voice messages.

We are proud to join this effort to protect consumers from AI-generated robocalls with a cease and desist letter sent to the Texas company in question. https://t.co/ki2hVhH9Fv

— FCC (@FCC) February 7, 2024

FCC rules require telemarketers to obtain written consent from consumers before making robocalls. The ruling now ensures that voices in AI-generated calls are held to the same standards.

In a recent statement, the FCC warned that AI-powered calls have become increasingly common over the past few years, and that the technology now has the potential to mimic the voices of celebrities, political candidates and even close family members to mislead users.

While law enforcement will be able to target unwanted AI-voice-generated robocall results — such as fraud or fraud — the new ruling will allow law enforcement to go after fraudsters just for using AI. Sound generation in robotics.

RELATED: Security researchers unveil deep AI audio attack that hacks live chats

Meanwhile, in mid-January, the scammer behind the Biden robocalls was discovered to be a Texas-based life corporation and an individual named Walter Monk.

The Division of Election Law issued a cease and desist order against Life Corporation for violating Title LXIII of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes of 2022 against bribery, intimidation, and suppression.

The order requires immediate compliance, and the department reserves the right to take additional enforcement actions based on prior conduct.

Magazine: $830m fraud busted, no one owns 3,000% premium, Binance snitches get rich: Asia Express