Supreme Court Backs F.C.C. Power to Levy Fines Against Cellphone Carriers

The Supreme Court’s ruling reinforces the FCC’s authority to impose fines on cellphone carriers for failing to protect consumer data and enforce privacy and robocall rules. In an 8-1 decision, the court said AT&T and Verizon did not have their Seventh Amendment rights violated, noting they could refuse payment and pursue a jury trial in federal court. Fines totaling more than $57 million for AT&T and more than $48 million for Verizon were issued in 2020 for alleged breaches. Only Justice Clarence Thomas dissented. The majority stressed that the orders were not coercive payment obligations, preserving a route to a jury trial, and strengthening the federal enforcement toolkit for consumer protections in privacy, robocalls, and broadcasting.