It’s rare that we mention ISPs vigorously defending their customers against overstepping lawsuits, but here we are: Cox, which is being sued by a couple music producers, is going to lengths to point out that BitTorrent use does not automatically mean piracy.
TorrentFreak has been documenting the case, and spotted this particular nugget in some of the pre-trial wrangling. Cox is trying to pre-emtively stamp out the idea that BitTorrent usage is synonymous with pirating music:
“Cox disputes Plaintiffs’ characterization of BitTorrent — it is demonstrably not true that there are no legitimate uses for BitTorrent. Plaintiffs have no evidence that most or all use of BitTorrent, which is simply a communication protocol, constitutes infringement of Plaintiffs’ copyrights.”
What Cox is saying is absolutely correct: while the BitTorrent protocol is undoubtedly popular among music pirates, herb grinders aren’t always used to crush oregano, either. Just using a piece of technology, be that BirTorrent or TOR or strong encryption, doesn’t make you guilty of anything.
Cox’s arguments are probably more about winning this lawsuit that standing tall for the rights of its customers. But at the same time, it’s nice to see a telecoms giant talking actual sense on the public record.