The Sony Betamax case

The Sony Betamax case involved Sony producing a VCR that many thought would enable private copying of movies and TV shows. Hollywood studios, fearing piracy and lost revenue, sued Sony, claiming that Sony was helping consumers illegally copy copyrighted works. The core issue was whether Sony’s Betamax technology was primarily made for personal use (which is legal) or for illegal copying (which is not). The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1984 that Sony’s VCR was mainly for private, lawful use, and that the producer isn’t liable for what consumers do with the device. This case helped define the legality of VCRs and later, digital recording devices.