00:00When someone illegally downloads music, who's responsible?
00:03The downloader or the internet provider?
00:05A court ruling just answered that question, so let's explain it like we mean it.
00:10Record labels Sony, Warner, and Universal sued Cox Communications,
00:14saying the company didn't do enough to stop people from repeatedly illegally downloading music.
00:18In 2019, a jury in Virginia found Cox liable for its internet users' piracy of music,
00:25making the company owe billions.
00:27But the Supreme Court says otherwise.
00:29Ruling unanimously that Cox can't be held responsible for the way customers choose to use their services,
00:35overturning the 2019 ruling.
00:37Tech companies in the Trump administration are happy about the high court's decision,
00:40but RIA, or the Recording Industry Association of America,
00:43says that the ruling ignores the lower court's finding that evidence showed Cox knew about the widespread copyright theft and
00:49did nothing.
00:50They also warn that this ruling could weaken copyright laws.
00:53So what does this mean for copyright law?
00:56The Supreme Court is basically saying it's tough to hold internet providers responsible for what their customers do.
01:03Just knowing that some people are downloading stuff illegally isn't enough for a company to be at fault.
01:08You'd need proof that they were encouraging piracy or building their service around it.
01:13On the flip side, it makes things harder for the music industry.
01:16They can still go after people who illegally download music or platforms built for piracy,
01:22but not everyday internet providers.
01:24Think of it like this.
01:25If someone speeds on the highway, you don't sue the company that paved the road.
01:29Cox built the road, they didn't make anyone speed.
01:31The Supreme Court is drawing that same line here.
01:33The bottom line?
01:34Your Wi-Fi provider isn't going to jail for your late-night illegal downloads,
01:38but you could still be on the hook.
01:39More at SAN.com.
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