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DirectTV to Pay $5.4M in Privacy Fines
abscissa writes "Remember the do-not-call registry? DirecTV is in big trouble for violating the list, and faces the largest civil assessment ever obtained of $5.4M for harassing people over the phone at home and ignoring the registry. Although it looks like DirecTV was outsourcing all their telemarketing (obviously), the FTC recieved 1.4 million complaints, the biggest category of do-not-call violations ever recieved." From the article: "Majoras was quick to emphasize that the most important part of the settlement is that it sends a warning to companies that they cannot hire telemarketers and then turn their backs on whether or not the rules are followed."
It will make zero difference to them. Consider the following:
/ 127160/pdf/Q32005EarningsRelease.pdf [corporate-ir.net])
1. Their stock value barely moved today.
2. They made $95 Million in the third quarter (vs a loss of $1.01 Billion in the previous year).
3. They added 263000 customers in the third quarter.
(All figures taken from their financial statements located at http://media.corporate-ir.net/media_files/irol/12
Net result. They'll pay the fine and move on. Breaking the law clearly has served it's purpose.
This is my opinion. To make sure you don't steal it, it's covered by the DMCA.
Actually, while we're talking math... let me point out that that's 3.5 cents per call, not 35 cents.
quidquid latine dictum sit altum videtur.