• General_Effort@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    1 year ago

    I expect ISPs would get into a lot of legal trouble if they did.

    The NYT sued OpenAI and MS. a) That doesn’t involve Meta. b) It’s a claim by the NYT.

    Why should ISPs deny their paying customers access to Meta sites or sites hosting LLMs released by Meta? These customers have contracts with their service providers. On what grounds, would ISPs be in the right to stop providing these internet services?

    • Snot Flickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Both Meta and ChatGPT used books3, it’s functionally the same type of case.

      Why should ISPs deny their paying customers access to Meta sites or sites hosting LLMs released by Meta? These customers have contracts with their service providers. On what grounds, would ISPs be in the right to stop providing these internet services?

      In the countries where ISP blocking happens, its usually because a copyright holder has sued and demanded blocking at the ISP level and has won in court. Then, the government begins the path of working with ISPs to block the site.

      Unless you think most governments that do this do it arbitrarily? No, they do it because a copyright holder sued, like the New York Times has. The NYT has not demanded ISP-level blocking, but that does not mean that they couldn’t. I can’t speak to their choice not to do so other than it seems that companies only save that for truly altruistic groups, and rarely do it for other big corporations.

      • General_Effort@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        1 year ago

        but that does not mean that they couldn’t.

        IDK why you believe this. Breaking contracts is illegal. You get sued and have to pay damages. Some contracts, in some jurisdictions, may allow such arbitrary decisions. In other jurisdictions such clauses may be unenforceable.

        altruistic groups

        Well, that’s not something that copyright law cares about very much. Unfortunately, this community seems very pro-copyright; very Ayn Rand even. You’re not likely to get much agreement for any sensible reforms; quite the opposite. I don’t think arguing that Meta is doing the same as TPB is going to win anyone over. It’s more likely to get people here to call for more onerous and more harmful IP laws.

        Both Meta and ChatGPT used books3, it’s functionally the same type of case.

        FWIW, no. the NYT case and this is different in some crucial ways.