BellSouth, AT&T added to $200 bln privacy lawsuit

[rpgamerd00d]

By Anna Driver 48 minutes ago

NEW YORK (Reuters) - BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Inc. were named in a $200 billion lawsuit on Tuesday alleging that telecommunications companies violated privacy rights by turning over customer phone records for use in a U.S. government call-tracking program to detect terrorist plots.

BellSouth and AT&T were added to the lawsuit seeking class-action status that was initially filed against Verizon Communications Inc. in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Friday.

USA Today reported last week that BellSouth, AT&T and Verizon had turned over tens of millions of consumers' telephone records to the National Security Agency (NSA) so it could analyze call patterns.

"We're outraged at the actions of the NSA, the administration and the phone companies," Bruce Afran, a public interest lawyer from New Jersey, said at a news conference. He added that he wanted the companies to understand the massive financial exposure they had on this issue.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060516/pl_nm/telecoms_lawsuit_dc_4

[gatorboy]

1. Sign me up!

:)

[Chimichurri]

2. Good for them! I hope they're not stymied and get a chance to

win. Even if they're only awarded a dollar, it's the about principle and our poor beat up Constitution.

[ChiciB1]

3. Well, Why Do You think Verizon & Bell South Are

denying this?? Money, Honey!!!

[CountAllVotes]

4. Question: Is SouthernBell the same as BellSouth?

Southern Bell used to be my carrier for calls. Now it is AT&T.

If anyone happens to know if Southern Bell (aka SBC) is one of the same, please advise.

Thanks.

:kick:

[rpgamerd00d]

5. AT&T bought out SBC, so, yes.

[BadgerKid]

6. I would also like to state

at this time that I also have not turned over any phone records of Americans to the NSA.

[Vidar]

7. Way cool.