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more on COMMENTS REQUESTED -- Apparent large telco liability based on USA Today facts
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 12 May 2006 15:19:37 -0400
Begin forwarded message:From: "Synthesis: Law and Technology" <synthesis.law.and.technology () gmail com>
Date: May 12, 2006 12:09:54 PM EDT To: dave () farber net Cc: peter () peterswire netSubject: Re: [IP] COMMENTS REQUESTED -- Apparent large telco liability based on USA Today facts
Dave,I doubt Peter expected us to find a flaw in his actual analysis since all the loop holes have already been covered and under the most extreme interpretations one would find it difficult to argue directly against his reasoning. If there is a defence possible for the telcos it might be under yet-another discussion of the presidential authority (or the limits thereof). The difference I see in this one (and I am most definitely not an expert on this) is the monetary one. The direct civil cause of action in the statute would seem to incentive for this one to perhaps be taken further?
It will be interesting to observe, especially given Qwest's refusal to comply (apparently without sanction?). If Qwest had concerns and voiced them and was not forced to comply it would appear this could be a difficult one, and not just for the telcos.
Dan Steinberg SYNTHESIS:Law & Technology 35, du Ravin phone: (613) 794-5356 Chelsea, Quebec J9B 1N1 On 5/12/06, David Farber <dave () farber net> wrote: Begin forwarded message: From: Peter Swire <peter () peterswire net > Date: May 11, 2006 8:28:39 PM EDT To: dave () farber net Subject: Apparent large telco liability based on USA Today facts Dave: Perhaps your list can spot a flaw here. Based on the statutory language, it seems that the telcos face really large liability on the facts as reported in USA Today. Thanks, Peter http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/11/telcos-liable/ This morning, USA Today reported that three telecommunications companies - AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth - provided "phone call records of tens of millions of Americans" to the National Security Agency. Such conduct appears to be illegal and could make the telco firms liable for tens of billions of dollars. Here's why: 1. It violates the Stored Communications Act. The Stored Communications Act, Section 2703(c), provides exactly five exceptions that would permit a phone company to disclose to the government the list of calls to or from a subscriber: (i) a warrant; (ii) a court order; (iii) the customer's consent; (iv) for telemarketing enforcement; or (v) by "administrative subpoena." The first four clearly don't apply. As for administrative subpoenas, where a government agency asks for records without court approval, there is a simple answer - the NSA has no administrative subpoena authority, and it is the NSA that reportedly got the phone records. 2. The penalty for violating the Stored Communications Act is $1000 per individual violation. Section 2707 of the Stored Communications Act gives a private right of action to any telephone customer "aggrieved by any violation." If the phone company acted with a "knowing or intentional state of mind," then the customer wins actual harm, attorney's fees, and "in no case shall a person entitled to recover receive less than the sum of $1,000." (The phone companies might say they didn't "know" they were violating the law. But USA Today reports that Qwest's lawyers knew about the legal risks, which are bright and clear in the statute book.) 3. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act doesn't get the telcos off the hook. According to USA Today, the NSA did not go to the FISA court to get a court order. And Qwest is quoted as saying that the Attorney General would not certify that the request was lawful under FISA. So FISA provides no defense for the phone companies, either. In other words, for every 1 million Americans whose records were turned over to NSA, the telcos could be liable for $1 billion in penalties, plus attorneys fees. You do the math. Prof. Peter P. Swire C. William O'Neill Professor of Law Moritz College of Law of The Ohio State University Visiting Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress (240) 994-4142, www.peterswire.net ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as synthesis.law.and.technology () gmail com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ipArchives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting- people/
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- more on COMMENTS REQUESTED -- Apparent large telco liability based on USA Today facts David Farber (May 12)