Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73

§558 Criminal and civil liability

Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER V–A— - CABLE COMMUNICATIONS › Part Part IV— - Miscellaneous Provisions › § 558

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Leaves cable programmers and operators subject to criminal and civil laws under federal, state, and local rules for things like libel, slander, obscenity, incitement, invasions of privacy, false or misleading advertising, and similar offenses. Cable operators are not legally responsible for programs shown on channels set aside for public, educational, or governmental use, or on channels obtained under section 532 or similar arrangements, unless the program is obscene.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §558

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Nothing in this subchapter shall be deemed to affect the criminal or civil liability of cable programmers or cable operators pursuant to the Federal, State, or local law of libel, slander, obscenity, incitement, invasions of privacy, false or misleading advertising, or other similar laws, except that cable operators shall not incur any such liability for any program carried on any channel designated for public, educational, governmental use or on any other channel obtained under section 532 of this title or under similar arrangements unless the program involves obscene material.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1992—Pub. L. 102–385 inserted before period at end “unless the program involves obscene material”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1992 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 102–385 effective 60 days after Oct. 5, 1992, see section 28 of Pub. L. 102–385, set out as a note under section 325 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after Oct. 30, 1984, except where otherwise expressly provided, see section 9(a) of Pub. L. 98–549, set out as a note under section 521 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 558

Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73