FCC aims to outlaw AI voices in robocalls after fake Biden message

[midian182]

What just happened? The FCC is moving to make the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal after a message that was designed to sound like President Biden told New Hampshire residents not to vote in last month's primary. The agency is concerned about the audio deepfake tech being used to confuse and deceive consumers by imitating the voices of "celebrities, political candidates, and close family members."

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel's proposal would make the use of AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, or TCPA.

The 1991 TCPA law restricts telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems and artificial or prerecorded voice messages. It also requires telemarketers to obtain prior express written consent from consumers before robocalling them. The FCC wants AI-generated voices to be held to these same standards. The five members of the Commission are expected to vote on the proposal sometime in the coming weeks.

"AI-generated voice cloning and images are already sowing confusion by tricking consumers into thinking scams and frauds are legitimate," Rosenworcel said in a statement. "No matter what celebrity or politician you favor, or what your relationship is with your kin when they call for help, it is possible we could all be a target of these faked calls."

Voice-fraud detection company Pindrop analyzed the fake 39-second message that sounded like Biden telling New Hampshire residents not to vote and found that it was created using a text-to-speech engine made by ElevenLabs. The startup uses artificial intelligence software to replicate voices in more than two dozen languages.

Bloomberg reports that ElevenLabs confirmed its software was used in the New Hampshire incident and banned the account that was responsible. New Hampshire's Attorney General's office has announced an investigation into the fake Biden calls.

An FCC spokesperson said the potential change to the law will give State Attorneys General new powers in the fight against robocall scammers who use AI while also protecting consumers.

The FCC has been battling against robocalls for years. In December 2022, it proposed a $300 million fine against an illegal transnational robocalling operation that made more than five billion automated calls to over 500 million phone numbers within a three-month period in 2021. There was also a $225 million fine for misleading robocalls handed out in 2020.

Generating the voices of family members has become a popular tactic among criminals looking to steal money from unsuspecting victims. This crime has been on the increase as generative AI technologies become easier to acquire, cheaper, and more convincing.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/101737-fcc-proposal-aims-outlaw-ai-generated-voices-robocalls.html

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Nothing gets politicians motivated more than something that actually impacts them.

The rest of us would have outlawed all robocalls years ago.

 

[Furriest]

Nothing gets politicians motivated more than something that actually impacts them.

The rest of us would have outlawed all robocalls years ago.

We all really are extremely self-centered, and many things, politics too, proves so time and time again.

 

[atomicgirl]

Nothing gets politicians motivated more than something that actually impacts them.

The rest of us would have outlawed all robocalls years ago.

That's not how the American system of government works.

The FCC is an agency that investigates complains. It investigated this issue after Americans filed complaints with the agency over these calls. The FCC listened to the complaints and found that they were violating a law from 1991. The reason why it's cracking down is that AI (there's no such thing, BTW) was created as a cute way to skirt laws like this, as in, "How can this be actionable, if it's all machines and not people?" What the FCC is saying is that it doesn't matter; the law still applies, whether using a recording made from a person or AI stitching together sound bytes.

Point is, if you're not from the United States, refrain from making incorrect statements about how our political system works. If you are, pick up a civics book about American democracy. American democracy is participatory. If no one had complained to the FCC, no action would've been considered.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

That's not how the American system of government works.

The FCC is an agency that investigates complains. It investigated this issue after Americans filed complaints with the agency over these calls. The FCC listened to the complaints and found that they were violating a law from 1991. The reason why it's cracking down is that AI (there's no such thing, BTW) was created as a cute way to skirt laws like this, as in, "How can this be actionable, if it's all machines and not people?" What the FCC is saying is that it doesn't matter; the law still applies, whether using a recording made from a person or AI stitching together sound bytes.

Point is, if you're not from the United States, refrain from making incorrect statements about how our political system works. If you are, pick up a civics book about American democracy. American democracy is participatory. If no one had complained to the FCC, no action would've been considered.

Lol. It’s cute that you think politics and government work the way we teach seventh graders.

I’m a US professor who researches the intersection of business and politics. I’ve even done research for the White House Office of Science and Technology.

Here’s a place to start learning about how things really work: google crony capitalism. Or just open your eyes and realize reality is far different than the feel good idealism you beleive that hasn’t been true since at least WW2.

 

[atomicgirl]

Lol. It’s cute that you think politics and government work the way we teach seventh graders.

I’m a US professor who researches the intersection of business and politics. I’ve even done research for the White House Office of Science and Technology.

Here’s a place to start learning about how things really work: google crony capitalism. Or just open your eyes and realize reality is far different than the feel good idealism you beleive that hasn’t been true since at least WW2.

Crony capitalism has absolutely nothing to do with what the first poster was saying. He was making the complete unsubstantiated claim that the only reason why the FCC is doing anything is that it's affecting politicians, who only do things out of self interest. If crony capitalism were at actual play here, the opposite would be happening--the FCC would actually be doing nothing about deepfakes, because it would be doing the bidding of Big Tech, right? Because that's what crony capitalism is, when politicians serve the interests of corporations. The FCC is going against Big Tech on this issue, but you're telling me to "Google crony capitalism?" Why?

You talk about "feel goodism"? In other words, you're an acolyte of George Carlin/Sidney Lumet (see: Network) school of embittered nihilists who emerged in the wake of Watergate that, instead of trying to teach people that they have the power the entire time to fix what's broken and be the change they want to see in government, to sit back and do nothing and play the angry, embittered victims of The System/The Man/The New World Order)? Politicians--I emphasize--that only got into office by default of people sitting out elections and refusing to vet and campaign for the right candidates, not because politicians are inherently self-centered.

This sentiment is why there's a huge anti-intellectual backlash right now, which I despise (it's very much in keeping with reactionary movements in China, Russia and Germany before they went fully totalitarian). However, I can definitely understand why there's a reaction. Apparently, civics--teaching people how their government words and how to best participate in it is "seventh grade" and "feel goodism" but writing the entire thing off as crap, refusing to participate and making snide cracks about how hopeless it all is is the academic, more intelligent way to handle things?

Well, I know that's not true. Schools will of course teach critical takes on government, society, etc. but only for the sake of inspiring reformists and watchdog groups to keep the principles sacrosanct. They don't teach post-Watergate cynicism and nihilism, which is what you're trying to pass your academic credentials as. It's why you're telling me to "Google" things to assert your cynical take on all of this instead of a book; there's no textbook or academic/scholarly bible taught in any college that teaches it.

 

[ScottSoapbox]

Crony capitalism has absolutely nothing to do with what the first poster was saying. He was making the complete unsubstantiated claim that the only reason why the FCC is doing anything is that it's affecting politicians, who only do things out of self interest. If crony capitalism were at actual play here, the opposite would be happening--the FCC would actually be doing nothing about deepfakes, because it would be doing the bidding of Big Tech, right? Because that's what crony capitalism is, when politicians serve the interests of corporations. The FCC is going against Big Tech on this issue, but you're telling me to "Google crony capitalism?" Why?

You talk about "feel goodism"? In other words, you're an acolyte of George Carlin/Sidney Lumet (see: Network) school of embittered nihilists who emerged in the wake of Watergate that, instead of trying to teach people that they have the power the entire time to fix what's broken and be the change they want to see in government, to sit back and do nothing and play the angry, embittered victims of The System/The Man/The New World Order)? Politicians--I emphasize--that only got into office by default of people sitting out elections and refusing to vet and campaign for the right candidates, not because politicians are inherently self-centered.

This sentiment is why there's a huge anti-intellectual backlash right now, which I despise (it's very much in keeping with reactionary movements in China, Russia and Germany before they went fully totalitarian). However, I can definitely understand why there's a reaction. Apparently, civics--teaching people how their government words and how to best participate in it is "seventh grade" and "feel goodism" but writing the entire thing off as crap, refusing to participate and making snide cracks about how hopeless it all is is the academic, more intelligent way to handle things?

Well, I know that's not true. Schools will of course teach critical takes on government, society, etc. but only for the sake of inspiring reformists and watchdog groups to keep the principles sacrosanct. They don't teach post-Watergate cynicism and nihilism, which is what you're trying to pass your academic credentials as. It's why you're telling me to "Google" things to assert your cynical take on all of this instead of a book; there's no textbook or academic/scholarly bible taught in any college that teaches it.

Wow you projected a lot onto that. I am none of things. I’m the opposite and want change and a better society but that won’t happen by people too naive to even see the problem.

If you don’t think A) the FCC got a call from the WH after the fake Biden call and B) that a WH call would not prompt a regulatory agency to action you are too naive to save.

I gave you a google cite because A) you aren’t paying me, B) you aren’t at a level of understanding to get research citations, and C) this is a tech blog comment so I’m not going to bother with that.

Research today btw is what goes into textbooks of tomorrow. Though textbooks are going out if fashion at universities as “experiential learning” is all the craze now.

Crony capitalism was simply an easy topic to disprove “your let me show you how USA works”. Regulatory capture is perhaps a bit more on point.
But seriously, politicians using government to get what they want is so blindingly obvious it just stuns me that you don’t think it is true.

 

[Endymio]

He was making the complete unsubstantiated claim that the only reason why the FCC is doing anything is that it's affecting politicians

I personally have filed more than a dozen FCC complaints about robocalls for more than 25 years. Reportedly, many hundreds of thousands of other people have as well.

Nothing was done ... but exactly fifteen minutes after a robocall impersonates Joe Biden, the FCC suddenly takes action.

Those are the facts, ma'am. Sorry you don't like them.

 

[loki1944]

Maybe AI should just talk for Biden. Might be more coherent.

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

FCC can't curb robocalls or stop spoofing which itself is illegal. Same old thing and AI calls will probably come from outside the U.S.

 

[atomicgirl]

I personally have filed more than a dozen FCC complaints about robocalls for more than 25 years. Reportedly, many hundreds of thousands of other people have as well.

This is what the FCC has been trying to do for the past several years because of your phone calls:

Headlines:
1. FCC issues historic $300 million fine against the largest robocall scam it has ever investigated [CNN]
2. The Robocalls Problem Is So Bad That the FCC Actually Did Something [Scientific-American]
3. The FCC Wants Scammers to Stop Calling You [Cnet]
4. FCC says it closed a loophole that many robocallers used to evade blocking [Ars Technica]

The reason why robocalls persist is that technology has become so effective at skirting laws that bad actors are always one step ahead of everyone. Thrown into the mix is that the FCC isn't just dealing with US bad actors, but international ones as well. So, it's not enough to fine people or declare something a violation to stop it in its tracks; there have to also be additional measures. The FCC can only do so much; what's needed is a task force to actually come up with ideas to finally thwart bad actors other than just declaring something a violation and fining companies millions of dollars.

What you're doing in your cynical dismissal of the FCC's ineffectiveness is conflating its limitations (or any governmental agency) to stop something in its tracks with it "not caring" or not doing enough to stop it unless people are personally affected. That's not why the FCC hasn't been able to stop robocalls. It alone can't stop bad actors; there always needed to be, in my opinion, an additional task force to finally make good on the decisions of US agencies and the government, just as we have vice squads to make good on crimes involving trafficking and child pornography.

 

[toooooot]

Outlaw robocalls

 

[Endymio]

This is what the FCC has been trying to do for the past several years because of your phone calls:

Headlines:
1. FCC issues historic $300 million fine against the largest robocall scam it has ever investigated [CNN]
2. The Robocalls Problem Is So Bad That the FCC Actually Did Something [Scientific-American]
3. The FCC Wants Scammers to Stop Calling You [Cnet]
4. FCC says it closed a loophole that many robocallers used to evade blocking [Ars Technica]

Did you even read those stories before posting them? Headlines 1&2 are the same story: the FBI fined a scammer. The fact that this scammer used robocalling was incidental to their action -- had they been making the same scam scalls manually, they would have received the same fine. 3&4 are also duplicates of each other -- the FCC required gateway providers to begin using Caller ID, an action that didn't "ban" or even limit robocalls, and in fact did nothing to deter the flood.

I'm not sure where you get the absurd idea that the FCC "lacks authority". The FCC's control over US telephone and VoIP is near-absolute; it could, with one stroke of the pen, pass a regulation to ban outright all non-solicited automated calls, and give that regulation the 'force of law'. And I can, with little effort, think of at least a half-dozen ways to effectively enact such a ban.

 

[Puiu]

Maybe AI should just talk for Biden. Might be more coherent.

Right now it's Trump that has been leading in making weird incoherent statements.

It's been funny following what he's been saying lately.

 

[Endymio]

Right now it's Trump that has been leading in making weird incoherent statements.

I thought Biden would never top shaking hands with a ghost, confusing which country he was in, mis-naming Brazil's president while knocking over their national flag on stage, then yelling "God save the Queen!" months after she died. But then last week, he defended his economic record in a speech in Wisconsin with this:

"The, um, beer brewed here, it is used to make the brew beered here ...(unintelligible) .. Ooh, Earth Rider, thanks for the Great Lakes. I wonder why? …"

Biden then trailed off as the audience’s laughter drowned him out.

(Edit: Immediately after posting this, I read that Biden just told an audience how he recently met with Francois Mitterrand -- a man who's been dead nearly 30 years. )