FCC Hints it May Crack Down on Binding Arbitration Mouse Print AT&T was a pioneer in using fine print to try and ban their customers from suing them via class action, instead forcing users into binding arbitration where corporations win more often than not. Despite the fact that many lower courts repeatedly declared such activity violated user rights and was "unconscionable," the Supreme Court narrowly ruled in AT&T's favor back in 2011, opening the flood gates for every corporation to include this language in their TOS. Thanks in part to AT&T, most ISPs and companies now include the language.

quote: Democratic FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn is signaling that the broadband privacy item coming up for a vote this week (Oct. 27) could include restrictions on mandatory arbitration clauses. Clyburn and Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) say they are launching a two-front offensive against mandatory arbitration clauses in telecom contracts, at least to start, and then other communications contracts. The duo took aim at such clauses in a dual The FCC is scheduled to vote on new broadband privacy rules later this week. Most of these rules are relatively simple, requiring that ISPs are transparent about what they collect and who they sell it to, and provide working opt out tools.But in an interesting wrinkle, it appears that the FCC is also going to take a look at hamstringing the use of fine print to mandate binding arbitration The duo took aim at such clauses in a dual op-ed in Time over the weekend in which they lamented the slow but steady erosion of consumers' legal rights. The FCC's privacy plan was already under unrelenting assault from ISPs, and the attempt to hamstring the industry's use of binding arbitration mouseprint is sure to only make the debate more contentious than ever.







News Jump WISPs Get CBRS Range As Great As Six Miles At 100 Mbps Speeds; Windstream Officially Exits Bankruptcy; + more news Charter Relaunches Free 60-day Internet And Wi-Fi Offer; NCTA: FCC Should Stick With 25/3 Speed Threshold; + more news Comcast Shuts Off Internet for Subs Who Were Sold Service Illegally; AT&T, Verizon Team To Stop T-Mobile 5G; + more news California Defends Its Net Neutrality Law; AT&T's Traffic Up 20% Despite Data Traffic Actually Being Down; + more news Are The Comcast-Charter X1 Talks Dead In The Water?; AT&T May Offer Phone Plans With Ads For Discounts; + more news Europe's Top Court: Net Neutrality Rules Bar Zero Rating; ViacomCBS To Rebrand CBS All Access As Paramount+; + more news Verizon To Buy Reseller TracFone For $7B; 5G Not The Competitive Threat To Cable Many Thought It Would Be; + more news MS.Wants Records From AT&T On $300M Project; Google Fiber Outages In Austin, Houston, Other Texan Cities; + more news States With The Biggest Decreases In Speed; AT&T Hopes You'll Forget Its Fight Against Accurate Maps; + more news AT&T's CEO Has A Familiar $olution To US Broadband Woes; EarthLink Files Suit Against Charter; + more news ---------------------- this week last week most discussed

Most recommended from 20 comments



keithps

Premium Member

join:2002-06-26

Soddy Daisy, TN 12 recommendations keithps Premium Member Losing battle Sometimes I think the FCC knows they're going to lose the fight, but good on them for doing it. By making the ISP's angry about this stuff, they create a bit of a Streisand effect, making it more visible to the average consumer. jorcmg

join:2002-10-24

USA 9 recommendations jorcmg Member Congress is worthless Congress could make binding arbitration illegal. Al Franken just needs his peers in congress to majority vote yea and send that bill to the president to be signed into law.



Civics sounds so simple until you bring money and lobbyists into the mix.