Cox Appeal Probes $1 Billion Copyright Loss for Cracks (Correct)

A skeptical Fourth Circuit panel signaled it may nix the music industry’s $1 billion copyright infringement award against Cox Communications Inc., during oral argument Wednesday.

Cox is appealing a jury verdict won by several music publishers, including Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Bros. Records Inc. and Universal Music Corp. The case was one of a handful launched against internet service providers in recent years alleging they weren’t fulfilling obligations to qualify for safe harbor protection from liability for user actions under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

“It seems we’ve gone really far afield of the origins of vicarious liability,” Circuit ...