---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 560"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "560"
heading: "Scrambling of cable channels for nonsubscribers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/560"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Wire or Radio Communication"
  - "Subchapter V–A — Cable Communications"
  - "Part IV — Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §560. Scrambling of cable channels for nonsubscribers

- (a) **Subscriber request—** Upon request by a [cable service](/usc/47/522.md?p=6) subscriber, a [cable operator](/usc/47/522.md?p=5) shall, without charge, fully scramble or otherwise fully block the audio and [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) of each [channel](/usc/47/522.md?p=4) carrying such programming so that one not a subscriber does not receive it.
- (b) **“Scramble” defined—** As used in this section, the term “scramble” means to rearrange the content of the signal of the programming so that the programming cannot be viewed or heard in an understandable manner.

## Source credit

(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 640, as added Pub. L. 104–104, title V, § 504, Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 136.)