Proposed rule banning ‘cramming’ tops FCC open meeting agenda

On April 6, the Federal Communications Commission released a tentative agenda for its next open meeting to be held April 27. he meeting will begin with consideration of a rule to ban "cramming," the practice of letting unauthorized third parties place charges onto telephone bills.

The proposed order would "protect consumers by adopting… additional rules to help consumers prevent and detect the unlawful and fraudulent placement of unauthorized charges on their telephone bills." But the most controversial item on the agenda is likely to be the "Enhanced Disclosure Requirements for Television Stations," which would require that stations move their "public inspection file" to the Internet. The information covered would include identities of political advertisers and the rates paid by them.