Telemarketing via text message now illegal in New York

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — New legislation banning telemarketing by text is expected to put an end to unsolicited messages clogging up your cellphone.

Telemarketing, also known as robocalling, has been a longstanding nuisance for New Yorkers and people across the country. Under New York State law, the definition of illegal telemarketing was previously limited to phone calls. However, text messages are commonly used by telemarketers, and weren’t previously defined as telemarketing in the law.

But Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Tuesday that expands New York State’s definition of telemarketing to include marketing by text message.

“Our consumer protections need to keep pace with technology and New Yorkers who have long been plagued by the nuisance of annoying calls from telemarketers now have to contend with unwanted texts attempting to sell them things they don’t want,” Cuomo said. “This legislation closes this

Article source: https://www.silive.com/news/2021/07/telemarketing-via-text-message-now-illegal-in-new-york.html