What does the Telephone Consumer Protection Act primarily regulate?

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) primarily regulates phone solicitation to address consumer concerns regarding unwanted and intrusive telemarketing calls. Enacted in 1991, the TCPA places strict rules on the use of automatic dialing systems, prerecorded voice messages, SMS text messages, and unsolicited faxes. The core objective of this legislation is to protect consumers from harassment and ensure their privacy. By requiring prior consent from consumers before calls are made, the TCPA serves to limit the volume of telemarketing communication, thereby reducing unwanted disturbances to individuals.

The other options do not fall under the primary scope of the TCPA. Unsolicited emails are primarily governed by the CAN-SPAM Act, while telemarketing via social media is largely unregulated by specific federal legislation, and direct mail advertising does not involve the telephone communication methods that the TCPA addresses. Thus, phone solicitation is accurately identified as the focus of the TCPA.