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Supreme Court Wrestles With Copyright Dispute Between Cox, Record Labels
Insurance Journal· 2025-12-02 06:08
Core Argument - The U.S. Supreme Court is considering a case involving Cox Communications, which is seeking to avoid financial liability in a significant music copyright lawsuit brought by record labels accusing the company of enabling user piracy of thousands of songs [1][2]. Group 1: Legal Context - The justices expressed skepticism regarding Cox's claim that mere awareness of user piracy should not result in liability for copyright infringement [2][3]. - A previous jury found Cox liable for $1 billion due to secondary liability for infringement by its customers, which involved over 10,000 copyrights [5][7]. - The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the damages award in 2024, leading to a retrial to determine the amount owed to the labels [5][7]. Group 2: Implications for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - ISPs are generally not held liable for user infringement if they take reasonable preventive measures, but the labels argue that Cox failed to address numerous infringement notices and did not cut off access for repeat infringers [6]. - The justices are concerned about the potential impact on innocent users if copyright enforcement becomes overly broad, which could lead to ISPs terminating service for entire households or institutions based on a single user's infringement [3][11]. Group 3: Industry Reactions - Major tech companies, including Alphabet's Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, have supported Cox in this case, while music, film, and book industry trade groups have backed the record labels [12].