Bill Overview
Title: Robo COP Act
Description: This bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to revise the do-not-call registry provisions of the Telemarketing Sales Rule to prohibit politically-oriented recorded message telephone calls to numbers listed on that registry. A politically-oriented recorded message telephone call is an outbound telephone call that plays a recorded message that (1) promotes, advertises, campaigns, or solicits donations for or against a political candidate or regarding a political issue; or (2) uses a political candidate's name.
Sponsors: Rep. Foxx, Virginia [R-NC-5]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals registered on the do-not-call registry
Estimated Size: 244000000
- The bill will affect individuals who are currently registered on the do-not-call registry by extending protections to prevent politically-oriented robocalls.
- According to the FTC, as of the latest available data, there are approximately 244 million active registrations on the do-not-call list.
- Not all registered individuals may receive politically-oriented robocalls, but the bill could benefit those who do.
- This legislation will primarily impact individuals in the United States as it amends federal regulations managed by the FTC.
Reasoning
- The target population of the policy includes individuals who are likely experiencing unwanted politically-oriented robocalls despite being registered on the do-not-call registry. This may particularly affect older adults who are traditionally more registered and sensitive to such calls.
- Given the budget constraints, the policy must be efficiently communicated and enforced. Some individuals may not experience any change due to their specific circumstances (e.g., no prior robocalls or already effective personal call screening methods).
Simulated Interviews
Marketing Manager (New York, NY)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I receive political calls occasionally, even though I'm on the do-not-call list.
- It's annoying but not disruptive since I usually hang up.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired (Tucson, AZ)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These political robocalls are a nuisance.
- This policy could really help reduce unwanted calls.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Teacher (Houston, TX)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I hope this policy will give me some peace.
- I constantly get these calls even at inconvenient times.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policy might be helpful for others, but I already have solutions.
- I'm not too affected by robocalls.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Small Business Owner (Miami, FL)
Age: 63 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm tired of political robocalls affecting my business hours.
- This policy could shield my work life from these bothersome interruptions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Construction Worker (Denver, CO)
Age: 47 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I get some robocalls, but they aren't specifically political.
- I'm not sure this policy would change anything for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Freelance Graphic Designer (Boise, ID)
Age: 35 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Political robocalls don't bother me much.
- I use caller ID to screen my calls.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired (Orlando, FL)
Age: 81 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Robocalls make me anxious, and I feel like I'm targeted because of my age.
- This policy would make me feel safer.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Graduate Student (Chicago, IL)
Age: 24 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Robocalls aren't a big issue for me as I primarily use messaging apps.
- The policy is more relevant to my parents' generation.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Customer Service Representative (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything to reduce these calls would be welcome as they sometimes interrupt my work.
- This policy could be beneficial for those working from home.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $4700000 (Low: $3700000, High: $5700000)
Year 3: $4500000 (Low: $3500000, High: $5500000)
Year 5: $4300000 (Low: $3300000, High: $5300000)
Year 10: $4000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $5000000)
Year 100: $3000000 (Low: $2000000, High: $4000000)
Key Considerations
- This policy will enhance privacy protections for individuals on the do-not-call registry.
- There may be opposition from political groups who rely on politically-oriented robocalls as a tool for outreach.
- FTC will need to ensure robust enforcement mechanisms are in place to manage compliance.