Anna Gomez opposes the political-call waiver on privacy grounds
Anna GomezFederal Communications Commission commissioner
Gomez opposed the waiver in a CNN interview, saying it would weaken consumers' privacy and warning against allowing deceptive AI calls during the election.
“I know that they should not do this because we want to preserve consumers' privacy. And this is a privacy issue.”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Should political callers be allowed to make prerecorded and AI-voice calls to cellphones without prior consent?
On August 31, 2026, the advocacy group Club for Growth asked the Federal Communications Commission to let callers make noncommercial political calls to cellphones with an artificial or prerecorded voice, including an AI-generated voice, without the recipient's prior consent, subject to call limits and an opt-out. The FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau sought public comment on September 4, with replies due October 19, 15 days before the November 3 midterm elections. In early October, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, Common Cause and Tim Harper of the Center for Democracy and Technology argued that dropping consent so close to the election would open voters to unwanted or deceptive AI calls. In a statement published by NBC10 on October 8, Club for Growth said the calls are not robocalls and that political speech deserves the treatment the FCC already gives wireless calls about package deliveries and bank accounts. The dispute is over whether the FCC should exempt political prerecorded and AI-voice calls to cellphones from the prior consent requirement.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Sidner asks whether the FCC appears likely to approve the request. Gomez says she does not know its plans. Gomez explains her opposition on consent and privacy grounds. The interview later turns to Disney.
Before the quotation
Sidner asks whether the FCC appears likely to approve the request. Gomez says she does not know its plans.
After the quotation
Gomez goes on to explain her opposition on consent and privacy grounds.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to the proposed exemption, Gomez expressly says the FCC should not grant it. Her uncertainty about what the agency will do does not make her own opposition conditional.
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More from this case
Read the full caseTom Zawistowski backs the political-call waiver as protection for grassroots speech
“We're asking the FCC to stand up for free political speech and for the small, volunteer-driven organizations that keep our democracy working.”Read statement
Joe Kane says the political-call waiver would weaken protections and risk legal challenge
“Because the petition would weaken consumer protections while creating significant constitutional risks, the Commission should deny it.”Read statement
CDT opposes the political-call waiver and says its limits would not protect voters
Center for Democracy & Technology
“The Center for Democracy & Technology respectfully submits the following reply comment in opposition to the petition for expedited waiver filed by Club for Growth that would allow for calling parties to make noncommercial, political calls to wireless numbers using artificial or prerecorded voice, including AI-generated voice, without prior express consent.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Anna Gomez opposes the political-call waiver on privacy grounds". First published: 2026-10-21. Last updated: 2026-10-21. https://disputeindex.com/events/6316-gomez-opposed-the-waiver-in-a-cnn-interview