Accessibility, Consumer Groups Warn Against Scaling Back Broadband Transparency Labels

Source: Broadband Breakfast  |  By Jericho Casper

A proposal to scale back federal disclosure requirements for Internet plans has drawn sharp criticism from accessibility organizations, consumer groups, and advocates for older adults.  Congress in 2022 directed the Federal Communications Commission to create standardized broadband“nutrition labels,” displaying prices, speeds, fees, and other key details. Under new leadership, the FCC in October asked whether it should eliminate six disclosure requirements and how else it might “streamline the label requirements.” Accessibility advocates warned Friday that the FCC’s rulemaking, which would close the agency’s inquiry into the matter indefinitely, risks “freezing requirements at a baseline” that fails to meet the needs of people who are disabled, vision or hearing impaired, or have limited English proficiency. The objections came as broadband providers urged the FCC to pare back the labels.

The Utility Reform Network weighed in, emphasizing that machine-readable label data was essential for research on broadband affordability and public oversight.  TURN said the FCC’s “reliance on vague industry comments that machine readability increases technical complexity and cost – without evidence of widespread use or benefit to consumers – is unfounded.”