DirecTV, which is 70% owned by AT&T, dropped conservative news networks Newsmax in January 2023, and One America News (OAN) in March 2022 (1)(2)(3). Newsmax alleged censorship, but AT&T and DirecTV have rebutted that the decision was based on failed negotiations over cable fees (4)(5). AT&T’s advertising unit formerly blacklisted Breitbart, though the CEO reversed course after pressure from conservatives (6). AT&T, along with other major telecommunications companies, cut off the Trump campaign’s texting service for five days in the 2020 election cycle. Each company claimed it was a third-party anti-spam decision, although the Trump campaign thought the decision might have been politically motivated (7). AT&T received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (8).

AT&T Foundation does not discriminate against religious organizations through its charitable giving (1). AT&T amplifies employee volunteering efforts and donations by allowing for grant applications to these charities (2)(3).

AT&T does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination (1).

AT&T advocates for the Equality Act and transgender participation in girls and women’s sports (1)(2). AT&T also opposed various state legislature’s efforts to secure their elections with voting integrity bills (3). AT&T opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (4). AT&T is committed to ESG (environmental, social, and governance) goals (5).

AT&T has donated to Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign (1)(2)(3). AT&T has also funded partisan advocacy groups like Color of Change (3). AT&T’s charitable giving goes to many other non-ideological groups as well (4)(5).

AT&T donates in a bipartisan manner consistent with its business interests free from ideological agendas (1)(2).