As technology continues to evolve quickly, attorneys general must continue to adapt and remain informed about new challenges facing their constituents. NAAG continues to play an active role in making sure attorneys general are heard as they remain active against fast-evolving issues brought on by technological innovation.
Robocalls
Illegal robocalls can be frustrating at best. In many cases, they target the most vulnerable members of our community with scams and fraud. In response, attorneys general worked with several Senate offices to support the Pallone-Thune Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act. The TRACED Act requires voice service providers to implement new authentication technology to verify callers are who they claim they are and increases penalties for certain types of illegal robocalls.
Following NAAG's endorsement and supportive efforts, the TRACED Act was signed into law in December 2019.
In 2020, NAAG participated in the U.S. Department of Justice's interagency robocall working group to help develop a report to Congress on efforts being conducted to protect consumers from robocalls.
Contact Tracing Apps
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, NAAG sent a letter to the chief executive officers of Google and Apple asking them to ensure all contact tracing and exposure notification apps related to COVID-19 adequately protect consumers’ personal information. Though the public health concepts behind contact tracing are well-established, the tools available today are new and continue to evolve. The attorneys general intend to make sure any use of contact tracing apps followed specific steps in ensure consumer safety and privacy remains a priority.
Online Alcohol Sales
In October 2019, NAAG sent letters to eBay, Facebook, and Craigslist to assist in combatting illegal online alcohol sales. Unlicensed, unregulated, and untaxed alcohol sales through digital platforms pose a significant risk to consumers as these products could be counterfeit, mislabeled, or fraudulent. By continuing to engage with digital platforms, attorneys general are working to protect consumers using online platforms.
