Major Music Labels Sue Verizon for $2.6B USD Over Copyright Infringement

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As a music lover and long-time subscriber of Verizon’s internet services, I’m deeply disappointed and concerned about the recent lawsuit filed against my service provider by major record labels. The allegations that Verizon has knowingly ignored copyright infringements for profit are not only unacceptable but also infringe upon the intellectual property rights of artists and creators whose work is being shared without consent.

Three leading music companies, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, have joined forces to sue Verizon for copyright infringement. The complaint accuses Verizon of disregarding copyright breaches committed by its customers for financial gain. The alleged offenses against the Digital Millennium Copyright Act involve approximately 17,335 tracks, with each violation subject to a potential penalty of up to $150,000 USD, totaling an estimated $2.6 billion USD.

I’ve been following the news about the record labels and their allegations against Verizon closely. According to what I’ve read, they assert that they have sent Verizon over 350,000 infringement notices since the beginning of 2020. Shockingly, it seems that these notices were disregarded by Verizon. Furthermore, thousands of Verizon subscribers reportedly received 20 or more infringement notices without any consequences.

I joined Verizon not only because they had lenient copyright rules but also because their faster internet speeds allowed me to make use of P2P protocols with an added cost. Verizon unintentionally or intentionally created a haven for infringement with their lenient policies, thereby encouraging me and other subscribers to engage in copyright violations.

Instead of complying with Plaintiffs’ infringement notices as mandated by law, Verizon chose to disregard them and hide from the issue.

Verizon is accused of playing a role in both direct and indirect copyright infringements, and they are asking for the highest possible penalties for each alleged offense, as well as coverage for their legal expenses.

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2024-07-16 20:27