RIAA Sues Another 784 Suspected Internet Song-Swappers

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on June 30, 2005 - 7:09am.

Washington -- Just days after a Supreme Court victory over the makers of file-sharing software, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced that it has filed a new round of lawsuits against 784 individual suspected Internet song-swappers. The "John Doe" lawsuits were filed against users of file-sharing networks including Grokster, LimeWire and Kazaa. "On Monday, the Supreme Court provided a real shot in the arm to legitimate online music services and unanimously injected moral clarity into this debate," said RIAA chairman and CEO Mitch Bainwol. "If there was any doubt left, there should now be none -- individuals who download music without permission are breaking the law. Our efforts to defend the rights of record labels, musicians, songwriters and others in the music community from theft will certainly continue and likely be strengthened in the weeks and months ahead." The RIAA has now filed in the neighborhood of 8,000 lawsuits against suspected file-swappers, the vast majority of whom end up settling the litigation and paying the RIAA an average of $3,000 each.
http://www.riaa.com/news/newsletter/062905.asp