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.