Broadband Internet Consumer Disclosure Labels Research
The FCC issued a request for comments on proposed broadband consumer disclosure labels in NPRM 22-7. To inform the FCC, we conducted a large-scale two-phase user study with over 2500 participants. In phase 1, we investigated what information is most useful and understandable to consumers while comparison shopping for broadband plans as well as their opinions on the FCC's proposed labels. In phase 2, we evaluated the impact of changes to the proposed labels on consumer comprehension and sentiment. We found that consumers are overwhelmingly supportive of the label concept. They are most interested in cost, speed, and reliability and prefer labels to be concise, yet contain detailed information. They struggle with calculating total costs and determining how performance affects suitability for various uses. While technical terms such as latency, packet loss, and network management practices are unfamiliar to consumers, once the terms are explained they express interest in having this information provided. The changes we tested improved consumer comprehension and were generally well liked. However, we also observed areas for further improvement. Based on our findings, we are proposing a summary and full version of a fixed broadband label. Read more about our research!
November 17, 2022 upate: The FCC issued new requirements for broadband providers to display labels. They adopted some of our recommendations and are seeking additional input.
February 16, 2023 update: We submitted public comments in response to the FCC's Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Making Broadband Internet Labels Useful and Usable: Data-Driven Recommendations for the FNPRM’s Request for Comments
Research Report
Research Paper: Consumer-driven design and evaluation of broadband labels
Christopher Choy, Ellie Young, Megan Li, Lorrie Faith Cranor, Jon M. Peha, Consumer-driven design and evaluation of broadband labels, Telecommunications Policy, Volume 48, Issue 5, 2024, 102717, ISSN 0308-5961, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102717.
October 2022 Report
- Making Broadband Internet Labels Useful and Usable: Preliminary Report on Consumer-Driven Broadband Label Design by Lorrie Faith Cranor, Jon Peha, Christopher Choy, Ellie Young, and Megan Li. October 24, 2022. [full report | executive summary]
- Early preliminary results slidedeck presented in an ex parte meeting with the FCC in late August is available through the FCC website under Filing #10820081478988
Labels
FCC 2016 Labels
The FCC's proposed broadband consumer disclosure labels as well as details on their NPRM can be found on their website at www.fcc.gov/broadbandlabels.
Our Proposed Labels
These labels were developed based on results from our extensive survey study examining broadband internet consumers' information needs, terminology comprehension, and format preferences. Further refinement is ongoing.
- Summary version of our proposed label, designed to be printed on a half sheet of paper
- Full version of our proposed label, accessed via the QR code or URL provided on the summary version
- 2-page handout showing our full and summary label designs
People
Faculty and Research Staff
Articles
- Internet Plans Now Come With ‘Nutrition Labels.’ No One Knows How to Read Them by Patience Haggin, The Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2024.
- Understanding Broadband Labels - 16-minute video by Scott Jordan published by the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society and explains the current state of Broadband labels and discusses our label proposal
- What Are Broadband Labels and Are They Useful? by Katya Maruri, Government TEchnology, November 9, 2022
- Consumers want reliability info on broadband labels – study by Nicole Ferraro, Light Reading, October 25, 2022
- Consumers want more detail, internet metrics in FCC broadband labels, survey says
By Masha Abarinova, Fierce Telecom, Oct 25, 2022
- CyLab proposes improved, consumer-friendly broadband “nutrition” labels by Ryan Noone, October 24, 2022