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Politics · October 14, 2026

Supreme Court weighs scope of 1980s video privacy law in internet newsletter age

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The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Salazar v. Paramount to determine if the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA) applies to modern online newsletter subscribers. The case involves Michael Salazar, who alleges Paramount shared his video-watching history and Facebook ID with Meta without consent. Justices expressed differing views on whether a decades-old statute meant for videotape rentals should be broadly applied to current digital media, with some focusing on potential massive civil penalties and others highlighting Congress's original intent to protect consumer privacy.

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Reported across the spectrum

  • The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Salazar v. Paramount regarding the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA).
  • Michael Salazar filed the lawsuit alleging Paramount shared his Facebook ID and video-watching history from the 247Sports newsletter with Meta.
  • The VPPA defines a consumer as a 'subscriber of goods or services from a video tape service provider.'
  • Justices Kavanaugh, Alito, and Barrett expressed concerns about the broad economic impact and large civil penalties of expanding the statute's definition.
  • Justices Sotomayor, Jackson, and Kagan discussed the law's original intent, which stemmed from the disclosure of Robert Bork's video rental records.
  • Paramount's lawyer estimated potential damages in this specific class action could reach $250 million.

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