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Comment by rayiner | Hacker News Reader

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rayiner·

I can’t find anything in the Communications Act of 1934 that gives the FCC jurisdiction over marketing practices.

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What makes you think the FCC doesn't have jurisdiction over deceptive marketing?

because deceptive marketing is a consumer protection thing the FTC would go after

Somebody better tell the fcc then! https://transition.fcc.gov/eb/tcd/mktg.html

What makes you think they do?

IANAL, but Truth in Advertising[1] enforcement is a FTC affair, not FCC.

On the other hand, rayiner is, so there a benefit-of-the-doubt element that I'm inclined to respect.

EDIT: ...and I humbly stand corrected.

[1] https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consume...

47 USC 201 gives the FCC certain authority over “charges, practices, classifications, and regulations,” which the FCC has used as authority to regulate deceptive and misleading billing practices. The FCC doesn’t have plenary authority over communications advertising.

What's deceptive about calling something "5G"? It means "fifth generation". I would say the problem is the root terminological choice to identify systems by names that are completely devoid of meaning, not AT&T's subsequent choice to apply the existing terminology correctly (!).

The "5" in "5G" is just a version number; it ticks up whenever someone decides they want it to.

FCC is allowed to regulate specific terms like what internet qualifies as broadband. Curious how it applies here.

The FTC does though. It's a shame different departments of the same body seem to act as completely sovereign and unattached nations of bureaucracy though.

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