Supreme Court Sides With Internet Provider in Copyright Fight Over Pirated Music
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Cox Communications, a major internet provider, cannot be held liable for piracy of thousands of songs by its subscribers.
- Music labels sued Cox in 2018, accusing the company of failing to cut off internet access for users repeatedly flagged for illegal music downloading and distribution.
- The court held that providers are not liable simply for knowing their services are used for copyright infringement unless they intend for the service to be used that way or actively encourage infringement.
- Justice Clarence Thomas emphasized liability applies only if the provider intended infringement or actively encouraged it, while Justice Sonia Sotomayor concurred with the decision but offered different reasoning.
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