US supreme court backs FCC in clash with wireless carriers over fines
Summary
The US Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), supporting its method of imposing fines on wireless companies without violating their right to a jury trial. The case involved large fines against AT&T and Verizon for selling customer location data without consent.Key Facts
- The Supreme Court decision supports the FCC's in-house process for issuing fines, known as forfeiture orders.
- The ruling was written by Chief Justice John Roberts; Justice Clarence Thomas dissented.
- The case tested whether the FCC’s internal procedure violates the constitutional right to a jury trial.
- The FCC fined AT&T $57 million and Verizon $47 million for unlawfully selling customer location data.
- Other carriers fined include T-Mobile ($80 million) and Sprint ($12 million).
- The wireless companies paid the fines but challenged the FCC’s procedure in court.
- The government argued that companies can still have a jury trial if the case goes to court, so their rights are protected.
- The Supreme Court’s decision sided with the Trump administration’s defense of the FCC process.
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