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Feds Urge SCOTUS to Tackle Billion-Dollar Music Lawsuit, Warning People Could Lose Internet Service
A music lawsuit must be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Justice Department says, warning that it could cause Americans to lose internet service.
A billion-dollar lawsuit over music piracy must be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Justice Department now says, warning that a “sweeping” ruling won by the record labels could force internet providers to cut off service to many Americans. But in a brief filed Tuesday, Solicitor General D. John Sauer says the justices must consider overturning that ruling – telling the high court that the “sweeping” decision conflicts with legal precedent and has “broad practical implications” for how Americans use the internet. The central problem with the ruling against Cox, the feds say, is that it imposes costly liability on an internet service providers (ISPs) simply because “the music industry sends notices alleging past instances of infringement by those subscribers.” They say that approach could force IPSs to take aggressive measures out of fear of billion-dollar verdicts.
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