Supreme Court Rules Against AT&T and Verizon in Location Data Fines Case

AT&T and Verizon lost their attempt to overturn fines for selling users’ real-time location data without consent, as the Supreme Court ruled the FCC process does not violate their right to a jury trial. The court decided 8-1 that carriers could have opted for a jury trial by refusing to pay the $104 million in fines. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the FCC’s forfeiture orders do not settle legal obligations because they do not create a binding payment obligation without court enforcement. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, arguing the FCC initially presented the fines as binding. The decision upholds the FCC’s ability to propose penalties for regulatory violations, which can be enforced through court proceedings where a jury trial is an option. Advocacy group Public Knowledge praised the ruling, stating it keeps the FCC able to protect consumers. The carriers had argued the FCC process deprived them of a jury trial under the Seventh Amendment, but the court found this claim unsupported as the option for a jury trial existed through refusing payment and prompting a court case.