Robocalls Can Now Get Blocked By Your Carrier By Default

The FCC voted unanimously today to allow carriers to block robocalls by default, setting the stage for the major carriers to take action against the surge of unwanted automated calls that basically everyone hates. From a report: The agency also voted to move forward on a proposed rule that would require carriers to adopt the SHAKEN / STIR caller ID authentication system if they don't do it themselves by year-end. Ajit Pai, a Republican, has called robocalls the 'scourge of civilization,' while Geoffrey Starks, a Democrat, said that the unwanted calls have 'changed the fabric of our culture.' The vote comes just two weeks after FCC Chairman Ajit Pai proposed the blocking rule, which he said was designed to give carriers 'certainty' about whether automatic blocking was allowed or not. Carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile have offered robocall-blocking services for a while, but they were opt-in. In an op-ed published on USA Today, Pai said, 'I hate robocalls as much as you do.' He added, 'If Americans can agree on anything these days, it's that they're fed up with robocalls. The scam calls. The calls from foreign countries at 2 a.m. The deceptive caller ID 'spoofing,' which happens when a caller falsifies caller ID information to make it look as if they're calling from your area code.'

Read more of this story at Slashdot.