An FCC ruling on telecom relay services ‘goes beyond legitimate F...

in some ways, for example barring “abusive marketing practices.” But it also “impedes legitimate outreach efforts by providers, violates providers’ rights of free speech and the rights of consumers to access vital information necessary to make informed communications choices,” Hands On attorney George Lyon said in a filing Tuesday describing the meeting Jan. 14. Hands On objected to a part of the ruling that bars a provider from contacting consumers that have registered with it “for any reason… including informing them of service offerings or current FCC proceedings that may affect the availability and quality of video service.” This provision “plunges a dagger into the very heart of First Amendment free speech values,” Lyon told aides to Commissioners Jonathan Adelstein, Robert McDowell and Deborah Tate. The restrictions amount to “a gag order” and are “blatantly paternalistic,” Lyon wrote in the ex parte filing. It “assumes deaf and hard of hearing persons need protection from information provided by relay providers,” he said. Hands On also questioned a ban on “incenting consumers to register with a provider.” The group doesn’t disagree with a ban on financial incentives but “nominal” incentives such as “allowing a consumer to watch a movie in return for registering, or having a free cup of coffee” goes too far, the filing said. Registering has benefits such as providing location information that relay providers can use to direct 911 calls, Hands On said.