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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallAn online service provider is a person or organization that makes a service available over the Internet. The phrase is a useful general description, not one universal legal category: U.S. laws define particular kinds of providers differently, often according to what they do. An Internet access company, a platform that enables access to a server, and a service that hosts material may therefore fall under different definitions.
What does “online service provider” mean?
In everyday use, an online service provider offers a service people or organizations use over the Internet. That can include communication, information access, hosting, or other online activity. The term describes a broad range of functions; by itself, it does not identify a specific legal status.
For a legal question in the United States, start with the activity at issue and the law that applies. One company may provide Internet access, host content, and offer email, for example. Those functions can be treated differently under different statutes, so the company’s general label is not enough to determine which rule applies.
How U.S. law defines related provider categories
Interactive computer service under Section 230
Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act defines “interactive computer service” in terms of enabling multiple users to access a computer server. The statutory definition is:
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“The term ‘interactive computer service’ means any information service, system, or access software provider that provides or enables computer access by multiple users to a computer server, including specifically a service or system that provides access to the Internet and such systems operated or services offered by libraries or educational institutions.”
47 U.S.C. § 230(f)(2) expressly includes Internet access systems, as well as certain library and educational services. Its scope is not limited to companies selling home Internet connections. The term is a specific statutory category, however, not a substitute for every use of “online service provider.” Its definition alone does not determine liability or immunity.
Service provider under the Copyright Act
The Copyright Act defines “service provider” for purposes of § 512, and the definition changes depending on which part of that section is involved. For subsection (a), it covers entities performing transmission, routing, or connection functions for digital online communications between or among points specified by a user, involving material the user chooses, without modifying the content as sent or received.
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For the other subsections of § 512, the definition is broader:
“As used in this section, other than subsection (a), the term ‘service provider’ means a provider of online services or network access, or the operator of facilities therefor, and includes an entity described in subparagraph (A).”
See 17 U.S.C. § 512(k)(1). The distinction matters: a provider’s role and the subsection at issue affect which definition is relevant.
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Online service provider vs. Internet service provider
An Internet service provider (ISP) ordinarily provides customers or networks with Internet access. An online service provider is a broader everyday description for an organization making an online service available. An ISP may also offer email, hosting, security, or voice services, but those additional offerings are not what make it an access provider. For context, see Cornell LII’s definition of Internet service provider.
| Term | What it describes | Where the definition applies |
|---|---|---|
| Online service provider | General description of a person or organization making a service available over the Internet. | Ordinary usage; not one universal legal definition. |
| Internet service provider (ISP) | Ordinarily, a provider of Internet access to customers or networks. | Describes an access function; other services the company offers are separate functions. |
| Interactive computer service | A service or system that provides or enables multiple users’ computer access to a server. | Defined by 47 U.S.C. § 230(f)(2). |
| Copyright “service provider” | A provider performing specified transmission functions under subsection (a), or a provider of online services or network access under the rest of § 512. | Defined for purposes of 17 U.S.C. § 512(k)(1). |
These categories can overlap, but they are not interchangeable. The relevant comparison depends on the law and the provider’s actual function.
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To evaluate a real legal or policy question, identify the function and the legal rule before relying on the provider’s marketing label. Check:
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- Function: Does the provider supply Internet access, transmit or route user-selected communications, enable access to a server, host material, or provide another online service?
- Legal source and scope: Which jurisdiction, statute, and subsection govern the particular claim?
- Provider role: Is the provider transmitting material, operating facilities, or offering another online service in the circumstances?
- Relevant facts: What did the provider actually do, rather than what does it call itself?
Neither the broad phrase “online service provider” nor a statutory definition alone resolves a dispute. A concrete classification depends on the applicable law and facts, and current statutory text and controlling decisions may matter.
What a Copyright Office directory listing does—and does not—show
The U.S. Copyright Office provides resources about § 512 and the agent-designation process. The Office says its review checks formal completeness and obvious errors; it does not substantively determine whether a designation is accurate or legally compliant. A listing in its directory should not be treated as certification of a provider’s legal status.
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