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Submitted via IRC for Fnord666
FCC plans to stop reviewing informal complaints—filing a formal one costs $225.
Ajit Pai's Federal Communications Commission is proposing that it stop reviewing the vast majority of consumer complaints about telecom companies. Going forward, consumers harmed by broadband, TV, and phone companies would have to pay $225 in order to get an FCC review of their complaints.
The FCC accepts two types of complaints: informal ones and formal ones. It costs nothing to file an informal complaint and $225 to file a formal one; given that, consumers almost always file informal complaints. Besides the filing fee, formal complaints kick off a court-like proceeding in which the parties appear before the FCC and file numerous documents to address legal issues. It isn't an easy process for consumers to go through.
[...] Chairman Pai's proposal to change the informal complaint procedure comes in a larger proposal about formal complaints; the change to informal complaints is explained in a footnote. "We delete the phrase 'and the Commission's disposition' from the last sentence of that rule because the Commission's practice is not to dispose of informal complaints on substantive grounds," the footnote says.
Customers will still be able to submit informal complaints, and telecom providers will still be required to respond to them within 30 days. But consumers who don't get what they want from the ISP will have to file a formal complaint and pay the $225 in order to get the FCC to take any action.
Even if the telecom provider fails to reply to an informal complaint, the only recourse would be filing a formal one. "[T]he Commission will notify the complainant that if the complainant is not satisfied by the carrier's response, or if the carrier has failed to submit a response by the due date, the complainant may file a formal complaint," the proposed version of the FCC complaint rule says. By contrast, the current version of the rule says that "the Commission will contact the complainant regarding its review and disposition of the matters raised. If the complainant is not satisfied by the carrier's response and the Commission's disposition, it may file a formal complaint."
Democrats from the FCC and Congress say the change will make it more difficult (and expensive) for consumers to get complaints resolved. "This is bonkers. It's unacceptable," FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement to Ars.
But, see also: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/07/11/no-fcc-is-not-forcing-consumers-pay-file-complaints/.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Monday July 16 2018, @11:28AM (1 child)
There's always some manner of protest going on here in the Pacific NorthLeft but I always find myself strangely uninterested in actually attending.
Instead I write. For example I wrote Is This the America I Love? [warplife.com] in response to the first incident I ever heard of, of the No-Fly List being used for political repression.
Links to Tens of Thousands of Legal Music Downloads [warplife.com] got roughly five million hits. I wrote it in direct response to the twelve year old daughter of a single mother who lived in The Projects getting sued by the RIAA.
The RIAA used to work very hard to spread the lie that it is _always_ illegal to download music.
No. No it's not.
It's completely legal to download music if you have permission. My own piano EP [soggywizards.com] was the very first link.
Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
(Score: 2) by bzipitidoo on Monday July 16 2018, @03:06PM
Used to? The MAFIAA is still at it! They've shifted tactics, and toned down the lawsuits, but they have not changed their fundamental attitudes and positions. Have you rented a movie, recently? Watch closely at the start, and you'll still see their propaganda that tries to equate copying with theft. You know, the big scary law enforcement badges, and the phrase "digital theft is not a victimless crime!" And what do you suppose will happen if you try to use a camcorder in a theater? They'll throw you out, and they might even call the police to have you arrested. I resent having my taxpayer dollars wasted to enforce such bull.
Oh, and it's also perfectly legal to download material for which the copyright has expired. That copyright terms are too long is another problem.
Of course, the MAFIAA are hardly the only ones trying to capture regulators, censor material, and monopolize a market.