On November 16, 2023, the FCC adopted the Safe Connections Act Report and Order, which established rules aimed at protecting the privacy of calls and text messages made by survivors to domestic violence hotlines. On December 20, 2024, the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced that service providers should be prepared to comply with the obligation to protect the privacy of calls and text messages to domestic violence hotlines by August 20, 2025. The Commission has postponed this deadline. At a later date, the Bureau will announce a new deadline and will provide no less than six months after such announcement for carriers to come into compliance
The Bureau has also extended the February 20, 2026 compliance deadline for small service providers (i.e., providers that have 100,000 or fewer voice service subscriber lines). At a later date, the Bureau will announce a new compliance deadline for small service providers, which will be no less than 12 months after such announcement.
