Venture capitalists will be less likely to invest in enterprises that are “on the line” between innovation and infringement, he said.
Further suits will likely follow to clarify the ambiguities in the opinion, according to Palfrey.
“This is the kind of thing that will be absolutely litigated time and again,” he said.
The decision precludes the need for congressional legislation against inducement to copyright infringement.
The Recording Industry Artists Association sued 11 Harvard students in April for violating copyright law, specifically mentioning i2hub, another file-sharing program.
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—Staff writer Samuel C. Scott can be reached at sscott@fas.harvard.edu.