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Contributory Infringement

All articles tagged with #contributory infringement

Supreme Court narrows platform liability in copyright cases
technology16 days ago

Supreme Court narrows platform liability in copyright cases

The Supreme Court ruled Cox Communications isn’t liable under the DMCA for subscribers’ pirated activity, finding no inducement or tailoring of Cox’s service for infringement. It limits contributory infringement to two paths—intentional inducement or tailoring—potentially shielding many tech platforms beyond ISPs and affecting cases involving Nvidia, Google, Meta, and X that cite Cox. Some record-label lawsuits have been dropped or paused against other carriers, and the decision raises questions about the DMCA safe harbor as lower courts apply Cox to broader tech contexts.

Supreme Court narrows ISP liability in music-piracy ruling
law2 months ago

Supreme Court narrows ISP liability in music-piracy ruling

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Cox Communications cannot be held liable for copyright infringement by its subscribers in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment, reversing the Fourth Circuit. The Court said an internet service provider is liable only if it intends the service to be used for infringement, and Cox’s deterrence steps (warnings, suspensions, terminations) supported this view. The original $1 billion damages verdict was not reinstated, and while Justices Sotomayor and Jackson concurred with the outcome, they disagreed with the reasoning. The Trump administration supported Cox, and the decision narrows the scope of secondary liability for ISPs.

Supreme Court narrows ISP liability in online piracy cases
politics2 months ago

Supreme Court narrows ISP liability in online piracy cases

In a 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court held that ISPs are not liable for copyright infringement by users simply for providing service, throwing out Sony’s $1-billion verdict against Cox Communications. The court rejected the idea that a provider’s knowledge of infringement or its general activity suffices to establish liability under the contributory-infringement doctrine. The decision narrows accountability for online piracy and leaves enforcement options, including potential congressional action, to address broader harms; civil-liberties groups called it a win for free expression while entertainment groups criticized it as reducing creators’ protections.