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DOJ and 4 States Want $24 Billion In Fines From Dish Network For Telemarketing (arstechnica.com)
walterbyrd writes: The DOJ as well as Ohio, Illinois, California, and North Carolina say that Dish disregarded federal laws on call etiquette. US lawyers are asking for $900 million in civil penalties, and the four states are asking for $23.5 billion in fines, according to the Denver Post. 'Laws against phoning people on do-not-call lists and using recorded messages allow penalties of up to $16,000 per violation,' the Post added.
The First Amendment guarantees a voice, but does not guarantee a platform. The fines for ignoring the DNC list are not for speaking; they are for violating the DNC list.
Lawyers can get a cut of lawsuits. These $$ are fines. Fines go directly to the government.
But you're right that the people who were most affected won't see a penny.
The first amendment does not cover their use of my resources (my phone line) to convey their speech. They tie up my resources to do their speech. As soon as this is not the case, we can talk about their freedom of speech.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Nail 'em to the wall, boys.
Ain't nobody got time for telemarketer calls.
I don't care if the fine money goes to ISIS, better them than telemarketers allowed to roam free in parks where there are unattended children. Bastards.
moox. for a new generation.
It isnt impossible. If someone wanted to they could identify these companies. The phone companies don't want to bother though. They have the technology though.
"Although I recognize that telemarketing can be annoying, it's a form of speech."
Telemarketing is speech in the same way that mugging is a display of affection.
We so need a corporate death penalty. This isn't quite the case for it to be used but, it should certainly exist. Also, if the corporation is sentenced to death, all of the C-level executives should have an automatic prison sentence that can be enhanced for their crimes.
"Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -
The fine for a bank failing should be the bank failing. The "bailout" should be given to depositors (there was even an existing mechanism for that, the FDIC), not to the institution that lost the funds. But no, apparently we live in an age where mediocrity and incompetence is rewarded and excellence is restricted. Cos you'll just make the rest of us look bad, ya know?
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.