The Supreme Court decided on June 30 to review a $1 billion jury verdict that music labels won against an internet service provider over music piracy that the provider’s customers allegedly committed.
The new decision took the form of an unsigned order in Cox Communications Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment. No justices dissented. The court did not explain its ruling.
The petitioner, Cox Communications, an internet service provider, runs six cable systems in 18 states. The lead respondent, Sony Music, operates dozens of music labels, including Arista Records, Columbia Records, Masterworks, RCA Nashville, and Sony Classical.
Cox argues that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit erred when it determined that the provider of the internet connection—as opposed to the internet user—was liable for the infringement. Lawyers call this vicarious liability. The appeals court held that Cox must either cut off connections that were used for infringement or face liability for future infringement, according to the petition Cox filed on Aug. 15, 2024….