{
  "id": "CON-043",
  "slug": "con-043",
  "title": "A mandatory phone field needs its own separate, optional SMS opt-in",
  "statement": "Where the phone field is mandatory for another purpose, an additional and separately optional SMS consent control is required.",
  "rationale": "A phone number collected for delivery coordination is not consent to be marketed to, so the two must be separable. Businesses frequently reason that because the number is required, the consent is implied — which is precisely the inference the rule exists to block.",
  "layer": "CONSENT_FLOW",
  "layerSlug": "consent-flow",
  "object": "consent surface",
  "severity": "BLOCKING",
  "detectability": [
    "AI_FORM"
  ],
  "failureClass": "TERMINAL_WEBSITE",
  "authorities": [
    "FCC",
    "CTIA",
    "TCR"
  ],
  "applicabilityText": "Applies to every 10DLC registration.",
  "universal": true,
  "remediation": "Keep the phone field mandatory for its operational purpose, and add a separate optional checkbox for messaging consent beside it.",
  "example": "Phone number (required — for delivery updates)\n☐ Also text me promotional offers from Acme Coffee (optional).",
  "phase": "approval",
  "automated": true,
  "url": "https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/consent-flow/con-043/",
  "markdown": "https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/consent-flow/con-043.md",
  "registry": "https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/",
  "updated": "2026-07-25",
  "licence": "CC BY 4.0 — https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}