Taking the download war into a new phase, labels in the US have announced aggressive new plans to sue hundreds of individuals who illegally share music files over the internet. The Recording Industry Association of America yesterday said they will start to search Internet file-sharing networks to identify users who offer large numbers of filers downloading. Said users will then be issued with lawsuits seeking considerable financial damages.
The new campaign comes just weeks after that US appeals court ruling requiring Internet providers to identify subscribers suspected of illegally sharing files. Certain users were sent warning letters days after the ruling – talk of lawsuits is the next step in this campaign.
The RIAA's president, Carey Sherman, yesterday told reporters: "After Thursday, tens of millions of internet users of popular file-sharing software will expose themselves to the real risk of having to face the music. It's stealing. It's both wrong and illegal. Users who believe they can hide behind an alias online were mistaken. You are not anonymous: we're going to begin taking names."
Critics warned the RIAA's heavy-handed tactics may back fire – creating resentment among music fans just as legit download services are gaining credibility. Mike Godwin of Public Knowledge, a consumer group that has challenged broad crackdowns on file-sharing networks, said: "I wouldn't be surprised if at least some people engaged in file-trading decide to resist and try to find ways to thwart the litigation strategy."