EPIC, Wildflower Alliance Urge FCC to Better Protect Crisis Hotline Texters

This month, EPIC and Wildflower Alliance filed comments and reply comments in the Federal Communications Commission’s proceeding on requiring telecommunications providers to collect and transmit georouting information for help-seekers texting 988, the national suicide hotline.

In their filings, EPIC and Wildflower Alliance urged the FCC: to continue to treat 988 differently from 911 (for example, individuals contacting 988 may not want their location shared in the same way as individuals contacting 911); to require enhanced privacy and cybersecurity measures due to the unique sensitivity of 988 data; and to articulate what legal authorities will safeguard help-seeker data.

EPIC has filed several comments with the FCC regarding the privacy and safety of individuals contacting emergency services, as well as comments regarding phone subscribers in particularly vulnerable situations experiencing heightened risks from violations of their privacy.