President Biden has signed the Safe Connections Act of 2022 to protect survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking by requiring wireless providers to allow survivors to separate their mobile phone lines, and those of their dependents, from their abuser’s line within two business days of receiving a request. The Act also requires the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding seeking comments on making it easier for abuse victims who separate from a shared plan to enroll in the Lifeline Program for six months as they become financially stable, and to establish rules to ensure any calls or texts to hotlines do not appear on call logs. This law is intended to help survivors of domestic violence cut ties with their abusers by separating from shared wireless service plans, which abusers can exploit to monitor, stalk, or control their victims.
