Today the Supreme Court, in MGM v. Grokster, unanimously overturned a ruling that prevented the music industry and others from suing internet services used by consumers to swap songs and movies for free.
“One who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright … is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties using the device, regardless of the device’s lawful uses,” wrote Justice David Souter.
The case has been remanded to the trial court that initially entered the ruling barring suit for trial on the issue as to whether defendants intentionally distributed software with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyrights.
Read the case here.