ISP Settles With Record Labels That Demanded Mass Termination of Internet Users (arstechnica.com)
(Monday June 02, 2025 @05:22PM (msmash)
from the uncharted-territory dept.)
- Reference: 0177902673
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/06/02/1811207/isp-settles-with-record-labels-that-demanded-mass-termination-of-internet-users
- Source link: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/06/isp-settles-with-record-labels-that-demanded-mass-termination-of-internet-users/
An anonymous reader shares a report:
> Internet service provider Frontier Communications [1]agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by major record labels that demanded mass disconnections of broadband users accused of piracy. Universal, Sony, and Warner sued Frontier in 2021. In a notice of settlement filed last week in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, the parties agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, with each side to pay its own fees and costs.
>
> The record labels and Frontier simultaneously announced a settlement of similar claims in a Bankruptcy Court case in the same district. Frontier also settled with movie companies in April of this year, just before a trial was scheduled to begin. (Frontier [2]exited bankruptcy in 2021 .) [...] Regardless of what is in the agreement, the question of whether ISPs should have to crack down more harshly on users accused of piracy could be decided by the US Supreme Court.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/06/isp-settles-with-record-labels-that-demanded-mass-termination-of-internet-users/
[2] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/21/05/04/1920223/frontier-exits-bankruptcy-claims-it-will-double-fiber-to-the-home-footprint
> Internet service provider Frontier Communications [1]agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by major record labels that demanded mass disconnections of broadband users accused of piracy. Universal, Sony, and Warner sued Frontier in 2021. In a notice of settlement filed last week in US District Court for the Southern District of New York, the parties agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice, with each side to pay its own fees and costs.
>
> The record labels and Frontier simultaneously announced a settlement of similar claims in a Bankruptcy Court case in the same district. Frontier also settled with movie companies in April of this year, just before a trial was scheduled to begin. (Frontier [2]exited bankruptcy in 2021 .) [...] Regardless of what is in the agreement, the question of whether ISPs should have to crack down more harshly on users accused of piracy could be decided by the US Supreme Court.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/06/isp-settles-with-record-labels-that-demanded-mass-termination-of-internet-users/
[2] https://tech.slashdot.org/story/21/05/04/1920223/frontier-exits-bankruptcy-claims-it-will-double-fiber-to-the-home-footprint
just training my AI (Score:3)
by awwshit ( 6214476 )
Obviously, technology cannot progress and society fails if my AI cannot ignore copyright.
I hope AI and copyright collide in a way that reduces copyrights.
Bankruptcy (Score:3)
by crow ( 16139 )
The key word in the summary is "bankruptcy." Assuming the ISP is in bankruptcy, this settlement is an easy thing for them. They record companies are just another creditor, so all that really matters is that the bankruptcy court agrees that the settlement is fair. The real losers are the other creditors.
Was it " mass termination"? (Score:2)
by Provocateur ( 133110 )
Are you sure it was mass termination not mass starvation?
I ask, because it seems a small segment of the populace got excited for the wrong reasons, of course.
No brainer, right? (Score:2)
by RitchCraft ( 6454710 )
This would be like holding a gas station liable for the gas used by criminals in a get-away car.
no due process (Score:3)
The main thing wrong with what Universal, Sony, Warner Bros, and major record labels sought was that it lacked due process. Only the ultimatum from the corporate gods sufficed to trigger one-sided one-size-fits-all justice. SCotUS needs to focus especially on the constitutionality or lack thereof of regarding that point.
Re: (Score:2)
For example, a bot malware could be downloading pirated copyrighted material unbeknownst to an ISP's subscriber. Due process would permit that subscriber to be found innocent. Due process would instead deflect the justice system toward the operator of the malware bot instead, perhaps as organized crime.
Re: (Score:2)
The threat from "corporate gods" is a lawsuit, there is no "due process" issue until there is a lawsuit. The problem isn't lack of due process, it's that the little guy cannot afford due process.
Due process is a burden born by the government, not private corporations. It's like free speech, corporations can stomp on it, government can't.
Re: (Score:1)
What makes the ISPs willing to "stomp" it is that by having information on what is talking to what, they are liable for participating in a crime, they are not the neutral carrier they should be. ISPs should scrub DHCP data for PII and retain only what metrics they need to know to manage their networks (total allocation, average time to reissue, etc). That way they can say "we do not have the data you are looking for".
Re: (Score:2)
Exactly!
Re: (Score:2)
Then users need to secure their devices better. I'm 100% for ISPs temporarily banning devices that are laden with malware. I don't even care if half the country gets kicked off the Internet. Maybe THAT would force Microsoft to focus on better security for it's users.
As far as copyright violations go, it's very likely in your TOS agreement that you won't do illegal activities with your Internet connection. The ISPs are technically ignoring illegal activities on their networks. I'd call that being complicit t
Re: (Score:2)
> The main thing wrong with what Universal, Sony, Warner Bros, and major record labels sought was that it lacked due process. Only the ultimatum from the corporate gods sufficed to trigger one-sided one-size-fits-all justice. SCotUS needs to focus especially on the constitutionality or lack thereof of regarding that point.
Seems SCOTUS may have several "due process" related things to consider of late ...
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, this is Frontier we're talking about. Their incompetent customer support department couldn't resolve billing issues or connection issues for their customers 90% of the time, so what makes you think that they would do any better when it's Universal or Sony making the demands for assistance?