The FCC has approved rules to help domestic violence survivors access safe and affordable communications. These new rules implement key provisions in the Safe Connections Act of 2022 to support survivors of domestic abuse and other related crimes who seek to maintain critical connections with friends, family, and support networks. The new rules: (1) require mobile providers to separate phone lines linked to family plans where the abuser is on the account; (2) require providers to omit records of text messages and calls to domestic violence hotlines from consumer-facing call and text message logs; and (3) provide financial support through the FCC’s Lifeline Program for survivors who suffer from financial hardship. Carriers are required to comply with the line separations and emergency support requirements by the third quarter of 2024. The Commission anticipates that most providers will have the tools to omit records of calls or text messages to hotlines by late 2024.
