Cox Communications will not have to pay a whopping sum of $1 billion to record labels after all, but even at that, it will still have to pay something after all.
Cox Communications Will Not Pay Record Labels
In a recent decision, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia has ruled that Cox Communications should not be required to pay $1 billion in damages to record labels in a music piracy lawsuit. Instead, the court has ordered a new trial to determine an appropriate amount of damages.
This Ruling Overturns a Previous Decision by A US District Court Jury In 2019
This ruling overturns a previous decision by a US district court jury in 2019, which had favored the record labels, including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and EMI. The labels had accused Cox of failing to address thousands of copyright infringement notices and take action against music pirates using its broadband service. However, the circuit court found that Cox did not directly profit from its subscribers’ infringement, which is a key factor in determining liability.
Other Times Cox Has Sought To Appeal the $1 Billion Judgment
This isn’t the first time Cox has sought to appeal the $1 billion judgment, but it marks the first successful attempt. Previously, Cox had unsuccessfully requested a lower damages amount or a new trial. The ISP also raised concerns about the authenticity of evidence presented by Sony, but this particular issue was not addressed in the recent court opinion.
The Ongoing Battle between Record Labels and ISPs
The ongoing battle between record labels and ISPs highlights the challenges in combating music piracy. Previous efforts, such as the Copyright Alert System (commonly known as the “six strikes” rule), have failed to significantly reduce illegal downloads. While this system targeted occasional infringers, it was ineffective against repeat offenders who continued to pirate copyrighted material.
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