Is it true that the phone info was "SOLD" and not "GIVEN" to the govt?

[CatWoman]

So many media reports state that the telecoms "voluntarily provided" the government with our personal information. True, but the American people deserve to know all the facts. AT&T, BellSouth, and Verizon sold our information. The government paid an undisclosed amount of our tax money to violate our privacy. And, judging by the lawsuits filed, these companies may pay billions for their conduct.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/13/131520/009

[Drum]

1. I've seen article snips

that the gov't volunteered to pay the telecos....

[valerief]

2. I think the govt made an offer the phone companies couldn't refuse,

at least, not without an investigation, as was done with Qwest. The contracts--payment for services rendered--were secondary to the initial threats.

Just my opinion.

[CatWoman]

4. last night Mike Malloy reported that the guy in charge of Qwest

at the time of the refusal was fired, and has been replaced with a Bush Bot.

[valerief]

7. Ha! No surprise.

[Touchdown]

11. That's not quite what happened.

Joe Nacchio, the previous CEO embezzeled $100 Million from company coffers, the Pension fund, and a few other places in Qwest, then "retired"...or skipped town. He never really moved to Denver. He had a residence here, but his real home was his brand new $25 Million in New Jersey. Nacchio is currently under indictment for cooking books, embezzlement, and SEC fraud. I remember he had hired a man whose sole job was to watch over his car, so it wouldn't get vandalized in the parking garage. He was 5'6". A real Napoleon with a small man syndrome.

He is not your hero, no matter how right he was to tell the NSA to take a hike.

[fooj]

3. This speaks volumes...

The government paid an undisclosed amount of our tax money to violate our privacy.

Peace.

[C_U_L8R]

5. I want my royalty check

they are profiting off of OUR identities...
(that they don't own any right to)

[roody]

6. I heard the word "sold" in an

NPR report.

[Justice Is Comin]

8. I'm all but positive

the USA story said they were. I heard Susan on C-Span read it. Also, Qwest was intimidated by implying they would not get future government contracts by not cooperating.

That in itself is further admission of a quid pro quo.

[GrumpyGreg]

9. Businesses and municipalities have been selling

information for years.

The City of Boston sold birth records to baby food companies etc. (I don't know if they still do it)but it took place over a long period of time.

Then there was the infamous case of CVS selling information on people who had purchased nicotine gum(when you needed a prescription for it).

Just move,as I recently did,and the stuff that comes in the mail from banks and mortgage companies boggles the mind. I know they didn't get the info by patiently going over public records. Someone sold it to them.

[Touchdown]

10. I work in the industry.

...yeah, one of those who gave up your call records (not many who didn't).

Two points about this. When the Government pays for the information, it imdenifies the corp from lawsuits, as the Government will pay out any judgements against them. The second? No major corporation will do anything without making a profit from it. They are dealing with Fascists, which are like Ferengi without the big ears. Of course they got paid.