An Under-the-Radar Copyright Case with Huge Implications

Opening Arguments

Opening Arguments Media LLC

Atheist, Law, Politics, News, Harvard, Supremecourt, Legal, Opinion, Liberal

4.3 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 20 April 2026

⏱️ 54 minutes

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Summary

OA1254 - An underreported on case called Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment could be a much bigger deal than it seems.

Record labels say Cox let repeat infringers run wild on its network and a jury hit them with a massive verdict. Cox says it’s not the internet police and shouldn’t be on the hook for what users do. So how far does that responsibility go? When does “you could have stopped this” turn into legal liability?

We break down the DMCA’s “repeat infringer” rules and why this case isn’t just about piracy. The real question is whether companies can be forced to cut people off or redesign their services to prevent misuse and where that logic stops. If failing to stop wrongdoing makes you liable here, what does that mean for platforms, payment processors, or even industries like gun sales where the argument is also “you should have done more”?

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Transcript

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0:00.0	There is no incentive, there is no requirement without liability legally.
0:07.0	Why would anyone bother? And the answer is you wouldn't.
0:10.0	They didn't make Twitter or YouTube for the purpose of infringing.
0:22.7	They're not advertising it as existing for the purpose of infringing.
0:26.7	So like what would be left?
0:35.6	Hello and welcome to opening arguments.
0:37.1	This is episode 1254.
0:38.5	I'm Thomas.
0:39.0	That over there is Janessa.
0:40.3	How are you doing?
0:41.0	I'm doing pretty good.
0:42.8	I've been loving all the Project Hell Mary content you guys are making because I loved the book, loved the movie, sat through the first five minutes of the movie going, wow, when Ryan Reynolds has a beard, he really looks like Ryan Gosling.
1:00.7	Yeah, I forget about that.
1:02.1	I did call that out somewhere, but yeah.
1:06.1	My brain was so sure.
1:08.6	I don't know where I got the wrong information and just would not update.
1:11.9	Oh, that's funny. Like I assumed it was just like a, you know, mixed up Ryan's in terms of names. But you actually did think it was Ryan Reynolds.
1:19.9	Oh, I was so sure. I was like, man, the beard really messes with his face.
1:28.2	Good times.
1:30.2	Speaking of that, no.
1:33.1	Not at all.
1:34.3	Not speaking of that.
	...

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