Can Feds Track Your 988 Texts? Privacy Debate Heats Up
Published Date: 3/4/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The FCC is working to make sure that text messages sent to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline get routed to the right local help centers using location info. This affects text service providers who will need to support this georouting feature. Comments on privacy concerns are open until April 3, 2025, with replies due by April 18, 2025, helping shape the final rules.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Proposed requirement: georouting for 988 texts
The FCC proposes rules that would require covered text providers to support georouting so that text messages to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline can be routed to appropriate local crisis centers using location information. The rulemaking is seeking comment through April 3, 2025 (replies by April 18, 2025) as stakeholders evaluate technical and privacy issues.
Privacy risks for 988 texters and informed consent debate
The proposal raises privacy and confidentiality concerns because location information could be generated and transmitted during text-to-988 routing; the FCC requests comment on privacy protections, potential chilling effects on use of 988, and whether an informed-consent option for texters should be developed. The notice notes about 77 crisis centers currently support 988 text messages and that pilots/testing are planned in 2025.
More vendors handling location data; small providers' feasibility
The proposed text-to-988 georouting solutions may involve CMRS providers, other covered text providers, SMS aggregators, Text Control Centers (TCCs), the Lifeline Administrator, and other vendors, increasing the number of entities that handle location data. The FCC specifically asks about the cost and technical feasibility of these solutions, particularly for small providers, and requests updates on a pilot or testing planned for 2025.
Use of aggregated FIPS/location data to protect privacy
The FCC discusses using aggregated georouting data (for example, county-level FIPS codes) rather than precise handset location; it refers to a definition of 'georouting data' that excludes identifying the cell site or precise handset location and seeks comment on whether county-level or other geographic boundaries are appropriate to protect texters' privacy.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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