Supreme Court Hands ISPs a Win in Music Piracy Liability Case
SCOTUS unanimously rules Cox Communications isn't liable for subscribers' online music piracy.
The Supreme Court just handed internet providers a major legal shield. In a unanimous decision, SCOTUS ruled that Cox Communications cannot be held liable for thousands of songs pirated by its subscribers online.
The case traces back to 2018, when leading music labels sued Cox for allegedly failing to cut off accounts of subscribers flagged for distributing copyrighted music. The labels argued the ISP bore responsibility for not policing its own network aggressively enough.
The court disagreed — across the board. Every justice sided with Cox, establishing that ISPs don't automatically inherit copyright liability for what their users do.
This is a landmark ruling for the broadband industry. It effectively means internet providers aren't on the hook as copyright cops, at least not under the legal theory the music labels pushed. The recording industry will need a different playbook going forward.