The U.S. Supreme Court grappled on Dec. 1 with internet service provider Cox Communications’ appeal of a $1 billion jury verdict. Music labels won the verdict over music piracy that Cox’s customers allegedly committed.
The piracy complained of often takes place when internet users access peer-to-peer file-sharing protocols such as BitTorrent.
The petitioner, Cox Communications, 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 August 2024….