Hey there, my tech-savvy followers! Today we have some interesting news in the music industry. Music labels such as UMG Recordings, Warner Music, and Sony Music have filed a lawsuit against Verizon for over $2.6 billion. The lawsuit accuses Verizon of turning a blind eye to copyright violations by its customers for profit.

The labels claim that Verizon has been ignoring infringement notices sent to them since 2020, totaling nearly 350,000. They allege that Verizon’s lax policies towards copyright infringement have attracted subscribers who engage in illegal file sharing, as they can get faster internet speeds by paying more.

The lawsuit includes a list of over 17,000 tracks from various artists like Elvis Presley, Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, and Brandy. The labels are seeking the maximum penalty for each violation under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Verizon is being charged with both contributory and vicarious copyright infringement. The labels are asking the judge to award them the maximum penalty for every track on their list, as well as attorney’s fees. This case is reminiscent of previous copyright battles like Viacom vs. YouTube and the overturned $1 billion judgment against Cox Communications.