No, it’s a voluntary installation. So, us boaters will just shut it off. It just makes navigation less safe, particularly for sailboats when offshore when they are trying to gauge the speed and course of a freighter at night time in particular.
>>No, it’s a voluntary installation
AIS is not voluntary for most commercial ships. See the U.S.C.G. regulations below
https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/ais-requirements