Telecom Company Pays $1 Million for Deepfake Joe Biden Robocall Incident

A telecom company that transmitted a deepfake robocall of President Joe Biden has agreed to pay $1 million to resolve an enforcement action from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Lingo Telecom sent out a fake message to New Hampshire voters in January, urging them not to participate in the Democratic primary. The FCC identified political consultant Steve Kramer as the mastermind behind these generative AI calls, initially proposing a separate $6 million fine for him.

As part of the settlement with Lingo, the FCC mandated that the company adhere strictly to caller ID authentication rules, including "know your customer" principles. Additionally, Lingo must thoroughly verify the accuracy of information provided by its customers and upstream providers, according to an FCC press release.

FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the importance of transparency, stating, “Every one of us deserves to know that the voice on the line is exactly who they claim to be. If AI is being used, that should be made clear to any consumer, citizen, and voter who encounters it. The FCC will act when trust in our communications networks is on the line.”

In February, the FCC implemented a ban on AI-generated voices in robocalls without recipients’ consent, following the incident involving the New Hampshire deepfake call. The agency also proposed new rules requiring political advertisers to disclose the use of generative AI in radio and television ads.

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