TechNet Statement on Supreme Court Decision in Cox v. Sony Music Entertainment

Washington, D.C. - TechNet, the national, bipartisan network of tech industry CEOs and senior executives, today released the following statement from TechNet President and CEO Linda Moore in response to the Supreme Court's decision in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment . The Court determined that an internet service provider (ISP) cannot be held liable for user copyright infringement simply for failing to terminate the accounts of known repeat offenders, noting that liability requires a specific intent to encourage or design a service for infringement.

"The Supreme Court decision in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment reaffirms the need for a tenable copyright policy that provides certainty for American businesses. The Court rejected a rule that could have forced internet providers to terminate a customer's internet access based on infringement allegations that providers are not equipped to resolve themselves. As TechNet argued in our amicus brief, that approach would have undermined due process, created serious uncertainty for companies that depend on internet access to serve customers, and risked sweeping lawful activity into an unworkable liability regime. The United States is the global leader in innovation, and a thriving digital economy depends on predictable legal frameworks to make long-term investments and expand internet access."