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Background
Cable operators serving 1,000 or more
subscribers must maintain certain records and make these files
available for public inspection.
Rules
The rules applicable to these files are:
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Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
rules require cable operators to maintain and make available to
the public the following files: political files; sponsorship
identification; Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) reports;
commercial records for children’s programming; ownership
records; the location of the system’s principal head end; and a
list of television broadcast stations carried by the system in
fulfillment of the must-carry requirements.
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The public inspection files must be
available at the office that the cable operator maintains for
the ordinary collection of subscriber charges, resolution of
subscriber complaints, and other business, or at any accessible
place in the community served by the system (such as a public
registry for documents or an attorney’s office).
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The public inspection files must be made
available to the public at any time during regular business
hours.
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Cable operators must honor requests made in
person to reproduce documents contained in the public inspection
files.
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FCC rules allow cable operators to charge a
reasonable fee for copies.
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Requests for copies of documents in the
public inspection files must be fulfilled within a reasonable
time, not to exceed seven days.
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Cable operators have the option of
maintaining all or part of their public inspection files in a
computer database rather than in paper files.
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Cable operators may choose, but are not
required, to honor requests for copies made by mail. If a consumer
wants access to a public inspection file, he or she should request
the file in person.
Filing a Complaint with the FCC
If your cable operator fails to comply with
the public inspection file requirements, you can file a
complaint with the FCC. You can file your complaint
electronically using the on-line complaint Form 2000E found on
the FCC Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html. You can also file your
complaint with the FCC’s Consumer Center at
fccinfo@fcc.gov; calling
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC
(1-888-835-5322) TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554.
What to Include in Your Complaint
The best way to provide all the information
the FCC needs to process your complaint is to complete fully the
on-line complaint Form 2000E. If you do not use the on-line
complaint Form 2000E, your complaint, at a minimum, should
indicate:
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your name, address, email address, and
phone number where you can be reached;
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name, phone number, and location (city
and state) of the company that you are complaining about;
and
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any additional details of your
complaint, including time, date, and nature of the conduct
or activity you are complaining about and identifying
information for any companies, organizations, or individuals
involved.
Can I Find Out What Information My Cable Operator Has Collected About Me?
A cable operator is required to notify its
subscribers at least once every year (and new subscribers at the
time the service begins) about the nature of any personally
identifiable information about them that will be collected. The
operator must notify the subscriber of the scope, frequency, and
purpose of the information collected, the period during which
this information will be maintained, the times and places at
which the subscriber may have access to such information, and
any limitations placed on the cable operator with respect to the
collection and disclosure of this information, as well as the
subscriber’s rights to enforce these limitations. In addition,
cable operators must provide subscribers access to all
personally identifiable information about them at reasonable
times and at a convenient place. Cable operators must also
provide subscribers reasonable opportunities to correct any
errors contained in the information.
What Action Can I Take Against My Cable Operator if
it Has Violated the
Subscriber Privacy Provisions?
You may file suit in a United States District
court. The court may award actual damages, punitive damages, reasonable
attorney’s fees, and other reasonable litigation costs.
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For More Information
For information about other
telecommunications issues, visit the FCC’s Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau Web site at
www.fcc.gov/cgb, or contact the FCC’s Consumer Center using
the information provided for filing a complaint.
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Federal Communications Commission
