ViacomCBS, Pluto Agree to $3.5M Penalty Over IP Captions

ViacomCBS and its streaming service Pluto TV agreed to a $3.5 million settlement with the Enforcement Bureau over violations of FCC IP closed-captioning rules, said a consent decree Wednesday. Pluto didn’t provide timely accurate information, “wast[ing] valuable Commission resources and delay[ing] the resolution of the accessibility issues,” the decree said. This stems from consumer complaints about nonfunctional captions on Pluto TV in 2018, the decree said. An agency investigation found that despite being in contact with the FCC about captioning issues, petitioning for a waiver and receiving a letter of inquiry about possible violations, “Pluto continued to offer Pluto TV on existing Platforms and initiated Pluto TV on several new Platforms without being in compliance.” The business “failed to provide timely and accurate information,” the decree said. It includes an elaborate compliance plan, with consultations with disability groups, creation of a consumer information website, testing procedures to ensure functional captions on all platforms, training, and a three-year reporting requirement. A Media Bureau order lets Pluto withdraw its waiver petition. ViacomCBS didn't comment. It's “the first consent decree and first enforcement action related to” IP captioning rules “since their adoption in 2012,” said an FCC release.