The Club for Growth has asked the FCC for an emergency waiver that would let AI-generated political robocalls reach cellphones without prior consent. Under current rules, robocalls to your cellphone require your permission. The group argues the change would help it reach voters in more languages and more efficiently, and points out that similar rules already apply to landlines. An attorney with the National Consumer Law Center, Patrick Crotty, estimates political robocalls could increase up to 40 times, landing near 15 billion calls.
For Suncoast residents, this arrives during a season that already fills the phone with noise. Between snowbird arrivals, hurricane season check-ins, and the usual spam, our area knows what a crowded call log looks like. Adding AI campaign calls to that mix, with no consent required, is the kind of thing that makes people stop answering their phones altogether.
The FCC is collecting public comments on the petition, which means this is one of those rare moments when the public gets a direct say before a decision lands. Whether you’re in Sarasota, Bradenton, or anywhere along the Gulf Coast, the outcome affects your phone number. So what’s your take: should political robocalls need your consent before they dial?
