The United States Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of protecting people’s Internet access on Wednesday, 25 March.
The case, Cox v. Sony, considered whether Internet service providers (ISPs) like Cox should be held liable and forced to cut off the Internet for music company allegations that someone is using their networks to illegally download or share copyrighted music.
The Internet Society filed an amicus brief last year explaining what’s at stake in the case for Internet access and security. The ruling protects households, schools, libraries, and even entire communities that could have lost Internet access.
The Supreme Court considered the complex reality of how people access the Internet. Most modern Internet connections are shared, with a single subscriber account serving dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people. One subscriber account or IP address can connect a household with many family members, a coffee shop with dozens of guests, a university campus with thousands of students, or a community network that serves a whole town.
The 9-0 decision confirms that ISPs cannot be forced to monitor and disconnect people from the Internet for online piracy allegations. The ruling recognizes that ISPs were simply providing Internet access to subscribers.
The ruling maintains the importance of strong copyright protections but acknowledges that ISPs don’t know who is using a subscriber’s IP address. Cox received more than 160,000 copyright complaints, but these were mostly for accounts with smaller Internet service providers, universities, and other organizations serving hundreds or thousands of people.
The decision protects people who are underserved and can least afford Internet access. Crucially, the ruling protects the livelihoods of thousands of people in communities that rely on small ISPs and community networks to stay connected.
These small but innovative networks often operate in rural communities, connecting households, local businesses, and community centers. These services serve as lifelines for communities and don’t have the resources to police subscribers.
Regional ISPs are often considered subscribers to national ISPs. This puts communities at risk of having connections shut off. Lower court rulings held national ISPs liable for allegations of online piracy on these regional networks with more than USD $1 billion in fines.
The Internet is for everyone, and this decision provides critical protections for keeping people connected to the Internet. The court set an important precedent that protects every household, business, and community organization that relies on staying connected.
Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash