Supreme Court Weighs Limits on โคISP Liability in โคMusic โคpiracy Case
WASHINGTON โ- December 1,2025 โ- The Supreme Court heard arguments today in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment, a caseโค with perhaps far-reaching implications for music piracy โคand internet access. Justices grappled with โคhowโ to balance copyright โฃprotectionโข with concerns about overbroad internet service provider โ(ISP) liability โand potential disruptions to service.
The caseโ centers โขon whether cox Communications canโฃ beโ held responsible for copyright infringement โcommitted by its customers, even if โฃthe companyโค doesn’t โฃdirectly participate โขin the illegal activity. Sony Music alleges cox profited โfrom widespread piracy on its network and โfailed to adequately respond โto repeated notices of infringement.
During oral arguments, Justice Sonia Sotomayorโค expressed concern over โฃevidence suggesting Cox did not act on notices from โanโ antipiracy โขcompany regarding users downloading or distributing copyrighted music, โstating, “You did nothing.”
Cox’s attorney,Rosenkranz,argued that an ISP shouldn’t be liable for customer violations even with repeatedโฃ notification. Justice โฃAmy Coney Barrett challenged thisโ position, asking what incentive Cox would have โฃto curb piracy if notโข held accountable. Rosenkranzโค responded that Cox aims to be a responsible corporate citizen.
The case has drawn meaningful attention from various stakeholders. The Department of Justice, tech companies X and Google, โขand the American Civil Liberties โUnion have โfiledโ briefs supporting Cox. Deputy Solicitor General Malcom Stewart acknowledgedโ a ruling for Cox could reduce incentives โฃto stop piracy, butโข argued this might be acceptable to prevent “extremely โoverbroad” service terminations.
Justices Alito and Barrett raised concerns about theโข potential for the lower court’s decision toโ threaten internet access for โฃuniversities andโค entire regions. Paul Clement, representing โthe record โlabels, suggested โthe โขcourt โcould createโฃ exceptions for such scenarios. He warned that a โคloss for โฃthe music industry would leave โthem withโค limited recourse against โmass piracy, callingโ individual lawsuits a “teaspoon solution โto an ocean problem.”
The court is expectedโค to issue a decisionโฃ by the โend of June or early July.The โoutcome will likely shape โขthe future โคof โคcopyright enforcement inโค the digital age and define the responsibilities of ISPs in policing theirโ networks.
