Supreme Court to mull cases with tech stakes

On Jan 10, the Supreme Court will decide whether to hear arguments on two issues that have the tech industry’s eye. The court will weigh cases on whether an online video service violates copyright law and look at the limits of some class-action lawsuits.

In American Broadcasting Companies v. Aereo, the court will consider whether to get involved in a case pitting broadcast companies against a new tech upstart. Aereo captures live local TV broadcasts and allows subscribers to stream them on their digital devices. The company says that anyone can get that broadcast content for free with an antenna, so its service is perfectly legal. Broadcasters, however, think it's a violation of copyright law. They are petitioning the case for the high court’s review after an appeals court sided with Aereo last year. Aereo has welcomed the Supreme Court’s review as a chance to settle the matter once and for all.