IP Democracy: ACLU Opposes AT&T-BellSouth Merger

Today’s a day for foes of the AT&T-BellSouth merger to make their presence known. First, later this morning a coalition opposing the combination will hold a press briefing on their opposition to the deal (more later).

Secondly, the New York Times’ Ken Belson has this piece on a filing submitted by the ACLU to the FCC yesterday in which the group asks the Commission to withhold approval of the deal until it investigates the privacy claims raised in the NSA scandal.

Citing the 1996 Telecom Act, the ACLU says that the FCC should find out whether AT&T or BellSouth turned over consumer calling records to the NSA in violation of its customers’ privacy.

“The F.C.C. is in a position to determine whether the USA Today story is true and can bring the companies to the table and figure out whether they are providing customer information to the N.S.A. and what is the lawful authority for doing so,” said Barry Steinhardt, director of the technology and liberty project at the A.C.L.U.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on June 6, 2006 8:38 AM to IP Democracy