AT&T and Verizon lose Supreme Court case over fines for selling location data The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the FCC’s process for issuing fines to AT&T and Verizon for selling customer location data without consent did not violate the carriers’ Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial. The Court found that the FCC’s forfeiture orders were not binding until enforced by a court, meaning carriers could have obtained a jury trial by refusing to pay and forcing the government to sue for collection. This decision upholds the FCC’s enforcement power and clarifies that such administrative penalties are subject to judicial review with jury participation.

• The Supreme Court upheld the FCC’s authority to fine AT&T and Verizon $104 million for selling real-time location data without consent.
• The Court ruled 8-1 that the FCC’s penalty process does not violate the carriers’ Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial.
• AT&T and Verizon argued that the FCC fines were binding, thus denying them a jury trial, but the Supreme Court disagreed.
• The Court stated carriers could have chosen not to pay the fines and then received a jury trial when the government attempted to collect.
• Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, arguing the FCC’s process was adjudicatory and that the carriers were penalized for challenging what they believed were binding orders.
• The ruling contrasts with a previous Supreme Court case (Jarkesy) involving SEC fines, where administrative penalties were immediately enforceable without a jury.
• The decision is seen as important for the FCC’s ability to investigate and enforce regulations protecting consumers. Continue reading https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/att-and-verizon-lose-supreme-court-case-over-fines-for-selling-location-data/