Writing yesterday for a unanimous Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas answered that question with a clear no. "Under our precedents," he wrote, "a company is not liable as a copyright infringer for merely providing a service to the general public with knowledge that it will be used by some to infringe copyrights."

The Supreme Court unanimously said on Wednesday that a major internet provider could not be held liable for the piracy of thousands of songs online in a closely watched copyright clash.

Cox argued that the position taken by the labels in the case would expand the concept of contributory infringement too broadly.