Major record labels have filed a lawsuit against Verizon, accusing the Internet service provider of enabling customers who engage in music piracy. According to the complaint filed in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, Universal, Sony, and Warner have sent over 340,000 copyright infringement notices to Verizon since early 2020. These notices identified specific subscribers on Verizon’s network who were allegedly stealing sound recordings through peer-to-peer file-sharing networks known for copyright infringement.
The record labels claim that Verizon ignored these notices and continued to provide high-speed internet to thousands of known repeat infringers in order to profit from them. They argue that Verizon has knowingly contributed to and benefited from massive copyright infringement committed by its subscribers. The lawsuit alleges that Verizon is guilty of contributory and vicarious copyright infringement and seeks damages of up to $150,000 for each infringed work, potentially totaling over $2.6 billion based on a list of 17,335 titles.
This lawsuit is part of a broader trend of record labels and movie studios filing copyright infringement lawsuits against Internet providers. Cox Communications, for example, has been embroiled in a legal battle over a $1 billion jury verdict since 2019. While the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit overturned the verdict in February 2024, the court upheld a finding of willful contributory infringement and ordered a new damages trial.
In the case against Verizon, the record labels highlight one subscriber who received 4,450 infringement notices from March 2021 to August 2023. This subscriber’s IP address was repeatedly flagged for copyright infringement, yet Verizon allegedly failed to take action to address the illegal activity. The lawsuit claims that Verizon deliberately ignored the notices to prioritize its profits over legal obligations.
Furthermore, the lawsuit criticizes Verizon for making it difficult for copyright owners to file complaints about internet users engaging in piracy. While Verizon offers a channel for copyright holders to send infringement notices, the lawsuit alleges that the program is rendered ineffective due to burdensome fees, indemnification requirements, and confidentiality clauses. Additionally, Verizon’s email notification system is said to be limited and ineffective in addressing repeat infringers.
Verizon has not yet responded to the lawsuit, and it remains to be seen how the case will unfold. The allegations against Verizon raise important questions about the role of Internet service providers in combating online piracy and the responsibilities they have to prevent copyright infringement on their networks. As the legal battle continues, it will be interesting to see how the court addresses these complex issues and what implications the case may have for the broader debate surrounding digital copyright enforcement.
