Last fall we noted that AT&T was trying to keep FCC-collected data on AT&T's involvement in the e-Rate program a secret. The program, which takes about 40% of all USF funds for wiring schools, has seen significant
fraud and abuse thanks in large part to poor FCC oversight. AT&T, which settled charges of e-rate over-billing the government (aka, you) for $500,000 in 2004, has been trying to bury FCC AT&T-specific data gleaned during that investigation by arguing they benefit from "personal privacy" laws. Today the Supreme Court
struck down AT&T's efforts, arguing that in this case, AT&T was distorting fairly clear legal language:
quote:
The Supreme Court said companies can’t challenge the release of government documents on corporate privacy grounds, ruling against AT&T Inc. in a case stemming from a probe of the telecommunications provider. The justices today unanimously barred corporations from invoking a provision in a federal document-disclosure law that protects against invasions of "personal privacy."
AT&T argues that the information they're trying to suppress involves "competitively sensitive" data. However, keep in mind the company is also hard at work lobbying for USF "reform" that could involve AT&T getting significantly
more USF funding, something possibly hampered by data suggesting previous subsidies were abused. Getting a unanimous, 8-0 rejection from this particular corporate-cozy Supreme Court suggests just how hard AT&T was pushing their luck. We're still waiting for the Supreme Court to hear another AT&T case, involving the company's efforts to
legally void your right to participate in class actions via small print embedded in your contract.