The Federal Trade Commission yesterday opened up the Telemarketing Sales Rule for public comment as expected. The commission is in the process of reviewing the TSR, which sets rules by which telemarketers can operate.
The FTC is seeking information about overall costs and benefits and its regulatory and economic impact since it became effective in 1995. The posting in the Federal Register asks several specific questions about the rule, including questions related to the rule’s overlap with other legislation, its viability in light of the growth of the Internet and its effectiveness at curbing abusive telemarketing practices. In addition, the FTC is seeking information about telemarketing in general “to develop an understanding of the history of telemarketing over the past 20 years, and, in particular, the last five years.”
The public comment period lasts until April 27. The FTC also scheduled a public hearing on the TSR for July 27-28 in Washington, which the FTC said would discuss all matters except the “do not call” provisions of the rule, which were discussed at a previous meeting. The FTC reviews the TSR every five years and is required to complete this review by the end of the year.
