Most people are aware of what internet piracy is. There have been ads around for many years telling people it’s bad and drawing attention to it. Sony, the music branch specifically, is suing Cox Communications, an internet service provider, for “contributing” to the copyright infringement of Sony’s property by not cutting internet access to anyone suspected of piracy.
There are many questions surrounding cutting internet access to anyone suspected of piracy. You don’t need to be caught, only suspected. If someone at Sony had it out for you for whatever reason, they could just say you’ve been suspected of piracy to your internet provider, and then your internet would be cut off. Sony being able to to this would set a precedent that any company with copyrighted content could contact your internet provider and tell them to cut your internet. They would have to do it for what could be weeks while they check to see if you’ve pirated their content.
Most people rely on the internet. Many students in schools require some form of internet for their classwork and homework, with around 50% of college students taking at least one class online and 1 in 4 taking all their classes online. Many require internet access for their work, with around a third of all employed Americans working from home. The internet has become a necessity at this point, because a majority of jobs and educational opportunities require some form of internet. Giving companies the ability to cut off someone’s access because they simply suspect someone of pirating their content is a horrible idea.
All it takes is one accusation and then you’re suddenly unable to work, or unable to complete your schoolwork. If companies gain the ability to turn off someone’s internet, it will lead to whistleblowers. Many company whistleblowers already have a target on their backs. Given how certain companies have dealt with whistleblowers, we can only assume the worst will happen if companies can turn someone’s internet off.
In conclusion, if Sony wins this lawsuit, companies gain the legal right to turn off anyone’s internet access. This will end terribly because a large amount of the population are reliant on the internet, and it can be used to pressure whistleblowers, attempt to punish whistleblowers, or make an example of them.
