The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Cox Communications cannot be held responsible for customers who illegally download music. The decision overturns a billion-dollar jury verdict that music companies led by Sony had won against the internet provider.
WASHINGTON — In a unanimous decision Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a victory to Cox Communications in a major copyright dispute with music industry giants over customers’ illegal downloading activities.
The nation’s highest court determined that the internet service provider cannot be held responsible for copyright infringement committed by its subscribers, overturning both a jury’s decision and previous appellate court findings.
The legal battle originated from a lawsuit spearheaded by Sony Music Entertainment, which argued that Cox failed to take adequate measures to prevent or disconnect users who illegally downloaded copyrighted music without payment.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously supported portions of the jury’s ruling against Cox.
Originally, a jury had determined Cox owed more than $1 billion in damages, though the 4th Circuit later dismissed the monetary penalty amount.
Cox Communications serves internet connectivity to over 6 million residential and commercial customers across more than a dozen states nationwide. The company had cautioned that an unfavorable Supreme Court ruling could lead to massive service disruptions.
According to Cox, the company might have been forced to cut off internet access to homes, medical facilities, educational institutions, and local businesses based on just “a couple accusations of infringement.”
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