NewCardDude
06-22-2004, 05:56 PM
By Alex Veiga
The Associated Press
The music industry filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 55 computer users in the Denver area today, the latest round of litigation against suspected online music file-swappers.
In all, 482 U.S. computer users were sued today, including 213 people in St. Louis, 206 in Washington and eight in New Jersey, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group that represents major recording companies.
As in previous complaints brought by the industry this year, the lawsuits were filed against unnamed "John Doe" defendants, identified only by their computers' Internet protocol addresses.
The tactic is used when the defendants' identities are not known because it allows plaintiffs to ask the court to subpoena Internet access providers to reveal the names of their customers.
"Illegal downloading continues to cause enormous harm to the entire music community," said Steven Marks, the RIAA's general counsel. "We must stay on the path of education, enforcement, and offering great legal services."
In all, 3,429 people have been sued by the recording industry since its legal campaign against individual computer users began in September. At least 600 of those cases were eventually settled for roughly $3,000 each. None of the cases has yet gone to trial.
The recording industry blames lagging music sales in recent years on the rise of online music piracy.
While some surveys have shown the number of people engaging in file-sharing has declined since the RIAA began its legal assault, other data shows millions continue to share music, movies and software online.
The Associated Press
The music industry filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 55 computer users in the Denver area today, the latest round of litigation against suspected online music file-swappers.
In all, 482 U.S. computer users were sued today, including 213 people in St. Louis, 206 in Washington and eight in New Jersey, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, the trade group that represents major recording companies.
As in previous complaints brought by the industry this year, the lawsuits were filed against unnamed "John Doe" defendants, identified only by their computers' Internet protocol addresses.
The tactic is used when the defendants' identities are not known because it allows plaintiffs to ask the court to subpoena Internet access providers to reveal the names of their customers.
"Illegal downloading continues to cause enormous harm to the entire music community," said Steven Marks, the RIAA's general counsel. "We must stay on the path of education, enforcement, and offering great legal services."
In all, 3,429 people have been sued by the recording industry since its legal campaign against individual computer users began in September. At least 600 of those cases were eventually settled for roughly $3,000 each. None of the cases has yet gone to trial.
The recording industry blames lagging music sales in recent years on the rise of online music piracy.
While some surveys have shown the number of people engaging in file-sharing has declined since the RIAA began its legal assault, other data shows millions continue to share music, movies and software online.