SCOTUS Rules Against AT&T, Verizon Over Fines For Selling Location Data
The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday against AT&T and Verizon in a closely watched dispute over federal penalties tied to the sale of consumers’ real-time location data. Advertisement The decision preserves the FCC’s authority to impose financial penalties through its administrative enforcement system. It is a major victory for federal regulators seeking to police privacy violations in the telecommunications industry. Advertisement Last year, AT&T persuaded the 5th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals to throw out an FCC fine, arguing that the agency’s process improperly bypassed a jury. Verizon, however, lost a similar challenge before the 2nd Circuit, creating conflicting rulings that prompted Supreme Court review.
In an 8-1 decision, the justices sided with the FCC and overturned the 5th Circuit’s ruling. Justice Clarence Thomas was the lone dissenter, ARSTechnica reported. The ruling strengthens the federal government’s power to impose administrative penalties on companies accused of breaking telecommunications and privacy laws, while reducing a constitutional challenge that could have greatly restricted the enforcement powers of regulatory agencies. The dispute stemmed from $104 million in FCC fines imposed on AT&T and Verizon in 2024 over allegations that the companies improperly handled customers’ real-time location data, conduct first brought to light in 2018, the outlet noted.
FCC Framework and Constitutional Challenge
Under the FCC framework, companies can pay a fine and seek review through the federal appeals courts rather than having the case initially decided by a jury. The carriers contended that this process deprived them of a constitutional safeguard guaranteed in civil cases involving substantial financial penalties, ARSTechnica noted further. According to the Court, the carriers could have refused to pay the fines and forced the government to pursue collection efforts, a process that ultimately could have resulted in a jury trial.
Just after boasting about a major victory, Trump becomes angry again.
Only one day after declaring a deal with Iran nearly complete, President Donald Trump spoke out against it, claiming Tehran misrepresented the proposal.
On the social media platform Truth Social on the morning of June 12th, Trump wrote: "The terms Iran is publishing in the media have absolutely no bearing on what has been agreed upon in writing."
He also emphasized that “the ‘fake news’ reports about this agreement are untrue and show Iran’s lack of goodwill in negotiations.”
Earlier, Iranian state media published draft agreements, including Iran’s refusal to cede control of the Strait of Hormuz and its demand for the release of $24 billion in frozen assets from the U.S.
In return, the two sides are expected to launch a 60-day negotiating process to resolve outstanding issues regarding nuclear programs and Middle Eastern security.
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Trump stressed that Iran’s continued threats against ships in the Strait of Hormuz are “completely unacceptable” and demanded that Tehran change its behavior soon.
However, behind this declared agreement lies a complex picture.
