Sony BMG v. Tenenbaum

Sony BMG v. Tenenbaum is a landmark copyright infringement case that was filed by Sony BMG Music Entertainment against Joel Tenenbaum, a Boston University graduate student. The case involved Tenenbaum's illegal downloading and sharing of copyrighted music through the peer-to-peer file-sharing network Kazaa.

Joel Tenenbaum was accused of illegally downloading and distributing copyrighted music from the years 2004 to 2007. It was estimated that he had downloaded and shared over 800 songs, including songs from popular artists such as Nirvana, Green Day, and Aerosmith.

In the original trial, Joel Tenenbaum was found liable for willful copyright infringement and was ordered to pay $675,000 in damages to Sony BMG. However, Tenenbaum appealed the decision, and the amount of damages awarded was subsequently reduced to $67,500 by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Sony BMG v. Tenenbaum was one of the first major cases involving individual file-sharers and the music industry. It highlighted the legal issues surrounding online copyright infringement and the potential consequences for individuals involved in illegal downloading and sharing of copyrighted material.

As of the information listed on the linked Wikipedia page, Joel Tenenbaum has not made any further appeals in the case. Therefore, the reduced damages of $67,500 still stand. Although there have been no recent developments, the case remains significant as it set a legal precedent for future copyright infringement cases involving digital media.