Four more large Internet service providers told the US Supreme Court this week that ISPs shouldn’t be forced to aggressively police copyright infringement on broadband networks.

While the ISPs worry about financial liability from lawsuits filed by major record labels and other copyright holders, they also argue that mass terminations of Internet users accused of piracy “would harm innocent people by depriving households, schools, hospitals, and businesses of Internet access.” The legal question presented by the case “is exceptionally important to the future of the Internet,” they wrote in a brief filed with the Supreme Court on Monday.

  • @[email protected]
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    1792 months ago

    Sony can’t have your electricity cut off if you pirate. Because electricity is a utility.

    ISPs want it both ways. They want the legal protections of a utility without the obligations.

    The solution is to give them the legal protection they want by declaring them a utility.

    • robotica
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      112 months ago

      I wonder if would you get your electricity cut off if you plugged in a 750kW industrial oil drill in your backyard

      • @[email protected]
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        172 months ago

        The 200A main breaker on most homes would trip a little above 50kW. Could you even start up 1000hp without 3 phase?

        • robotica
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          52 months ago

          I wanted to exaggerate for comedic purposes, I had 500MW written initially 😄

        • robotica
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          12 months ago

          L’esprit de l’escalier, should’ve said 1.21 jiggawatt flux capacitor

      • @[email protected]
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        172 months ago

        The people who sell electricity are surprisingly happy to sell you electricity. If you happen to do something horribly wrong and don’t burn your house down, an electrician will be happy to do the repairs. If you have 200 Amp service and draw the full 200 all year long, the most significant reaction would probably be getting a personalized Christmas card.