Last mentioned: Mar 25, 2026
Supreme Court Final Decision
The Supreme Court rules in favor of the ISP, limiting secondary liability for music downloads.
Charter-Cox Merger Approval
The FCC grants permission for Charter to acquire Cox Communications.
Appellate Court Ruling
The 4th Circuit vacates the $1B award but maintains that Cox could be liable for contributory infringement.
Initial Jury Verdict
A jury orders Cox Communications to pay $1 billion to record labels for failing to stop piracy.
The Supreme Court has ruled that Internet Service Providers are not vicariously liable for illegal music downloads by their subscribers, providing a major victory for the telecommunications industry. The decision reinforces DMCA safe harbor protections and removes a multi-billion dollar legal threat from ISP balance sheets.