Supreme Court rejects AT&T, Verizon bid to escape FCC fine

Key facts

• The U.S. Supreme Court rejected AT&T and Verizon's legal challenge.
• The companies sought to avoid a $104 million FCC fine.
• The fine was imposed for selling user location data.
• The companies have already paid the fine.
• The court's decision upholds the FCC's regulatory authority.

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by AT&T and Verizon, who were attempting to evade a $104 million fine levied by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The fine was imposed in April 2024 due to the companies' practice of selling user location data. AT&T and Verizon had argued against the penalty, but the Supreme Court's decision upholds the FCC's authority in this matter. The telecommunications giants have already paid the fine, and the court's ruling signifies a setback for their efforts to operate under a less stringent regulatory environment regarding customer data privacy.