CTIA, Others Urge Collaboration in FCC Safe Connections Act Rules for Connected Cars

CTIA and other organizations encouraged the FCC to collaborate as it seeks protection for survivors of domestic violence from abusers who may misuse connected car services. Reply comments were posted Tuesday in docket 22-238 (see 2405240067). The record "demonstrates a shared commitment among commenters to work with the commission to better protect survivors," CTIA said. "An approach that widens the scope of the proceeding" would force the commission to focus on "legal authority questions that ultimately divert from the shared and vital goal of helping survivors," the group said. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation warned that the Safe Connections Act doesn't allow the FCC to regulate original equipment manufacturers' privacy and data collection practices. The alliance warned that new regulations would "create compliance challenges while fomenting consumer confusion." The group also cited statutory and logistical hurdles to accommodating line separation requests for connected car services, noting they use only one phone number. The FCC should "promote access and utility of supportive services to survivors," said Electronic Privacy Information Center, Clinic to End Tech Abuse, National Network to End Domestic Violence and Public Knowledge in joint comments. The groups urged the FCC to continue working with stakeholders to "develop an anti-abusable framework for connected devices."