Engine Statement regarding Supreme Court Decision in Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment

The following statement is attributed to Kate Tummarello, Executive Director of Engine:

Statement:

Today’s unanimous decision is a win for startups. Because startups are often the first targets of infringement claims, maintaining clear limits on copyright liability is essential to ensure they can innovate and grow without facing disproportionate legal risk.

Background:

Today, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in the Cox v. Sony case that Internet service provider Cox Communications cannot be held liable for copyright infringement committed by its users. Engine had earlier filed an amicus brief arguing that Internet service providers and other intermediaries should not be held liable for users' alleged copyright infringement. Delivering the opinion of the Court, Justice Thomas wrote, “Under our precedents, a company is not liable as a copyright infringer for merely providing a service to the general public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights.”