AT&T Told They Are Not Exempt From FOIA

AT&T Denied Personhood (Thank God) and told they are not exempt form the Freedom of Information Act.

One less power token in the pockets of big business.

Who watches the watchmen?

If the court is just going to deny corporations rights, why did they give them rights in the first place? The SC is weird right now.

Is using "Julian Assange is a Hillary butt plug" an acceptable signature quote?

Corporate personhood as a concept is more than a hundred years old.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

If you actually read the decision, AT&T sued for privacy protection after several other companies tried to use the Freedom of Information Act to acquire sensitive propriatary information about AT&T's new technology. That information is protected by privacy concerns, but in all other ways, no company counts as a person for privacy rules.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw

So other companies are trying to use Fo IA for corporate espionage?

Fight smart, not fair.

I could care less about why they sued for privacy. I think companies need less of it in the first place. The General public even if it includes competitors should be allowed to peak in and keep an eye on companies.

Who watches the watchmen?

Because most of big business has abused the shit out of those rights in dishonest ways, and I don't think everything they do have as a right was necessarily intended, it was mostly so one individual didn't take the fall in the event of a law suit.

I think the SC's logic is that a group of people has all the rights its members have, but it's not actually a person and doesn't get rights to, say, not have it's "personal privacy" violated because since it's not a person it has no personal privacy.

I'm convinced that our modern day analogues to ancient scholars are comedians. -0dd1

Well now if they do it can be turned right back.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

I've always been profoundly confused about the notion of corporations being counted as a person, mostly because I have no idea what that even entails. Can a corporation run for public office? I know it sounds silly but when people talk about corporations having personhood, that's honestly the first thing that comes to mind and it's both laughable and terrifying at the same time.

Yeah, it's called lobbying.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian

According to The Other Wiki corporate personhood arose so that corporations could engage in contracts.

Fight smart, not fair.

Oh fuck.

Electronic Arts might run for President.

With his evil running mate... Nintendo.

^ Sony. Nintendo would be the opposing Presidential candidate since they slap around publishers like EA.

Activision however will be the extremely rich backer up who is the one who secretly runs the show.

Nintendo couldn't run for president... He wasn't born in America (nor does he have American parents).  ^{There is no rule though}

Doesn't this mean that, even though AT&T isn't a person, AT&T is protected by FOIA because the info is private? I'm confused...

edited 4th Mar '11 12:33:47 PM by Swish

I'm confused as to why they can't just call it a trade secret and be done with that.

[1] This facsimile operated in part by synAC.

Myself as well.

Fight smart, not fair.

Actually, there is.

Blind Final Fantasy 6 Let's Play

AT&T is partially protected. Trade secrets and similar propietary information cannot be divulged by the government under FOIA, but any other information can be. AT&T was basically attempting to use corporate personhood to get immunity from FOIA and keep everything private.

That’s the epitome of privilege right there, not considering armed nazis a threat to your life. - Silasw