Major music publishers, including UMG, Warner Music, and Sony Music Entertainment, have dropped their copyright infringement lawsuit against Verizon Communications, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that sharply limits internet service providers’ liability for users’ online piracy.
The plaintiffs filed a voluntary dismissal notice on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, ending the case with prejudice. The joint stipulation means both sides will bear their own costs, and the claims will not be refiled.
The suit, filed in 2024, accused Verizon of contributory copyright infringement by allegedly profiting from tens of thousands of subscribers who used its internet service for illegal downloading and distribution of music via peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent. The music companies, which represent the bulk of the industry, had sought more than $2.6 billion in damages.
The dismissal directly follows the Supreme Court’s unanimous March 25, 2026, decision in Cox Communications v. Sony Music Entertainment. In that landmark 9-0 ruling, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Court held that an ISP is not contributorily liable for users’ infringement simply by providing general internet access, even with knowledge of some misuse.
Liability requires the provider to induce infringement or offer a service specifically tailored for it—criteria ordinary broadband service does not meet, given its substantial lawful uses.
The Verizon case had been paused pending the Cox outcome. With the high court siding decisively with the ISP, continuing the litigation became untenable for the publishers.