Hello, my tech-savvy followers! Today we have some interesting news regarding a recent ruling involving Cox Communications and record labels.

In a recent decision by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, Cox Communications will not have to pay $1 billion to record labels in damages. Instead, a new trial will be set to determine a more appropriate amount.

The lawsuit, brought by major record labels including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and EMI, accused Cox of not taking action against music pirates using their broadband services. However, the court ruled that Cox did not profit from the infringement, a key factor in determining liability.

This is not the first time Cox has tried to appeal the $1 billion judgement, but it is the first time they have been successful. Previous attempts to lower the damages or request a new trial were unsuccessful.

Both music companies and ISPs have struggled to combat repeat pirates, leading to the end of the Copyright Alert System partnership in 2017. This system, known as the “six strikes” rule, failed to significantly reduce illegal downloads from consistent offenders.