Music industry launches crackdown on song swappers

By Ted Bridis
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The music industry's largest trade group filed 261 copyright lawsuits across the country yesterday against Internet users who trade songs online, in an aggressive campaign to discourage piracy through fears of expensive civil penalties or settlements.

The Recording Industry Association of America warned it ultimately may file thousands of cases. Its first round was aimed at what it described as "major offenders" illegally distributing on average more than 1,000 copyrighted music files each.

Durwood Pickle, 71, of Richardson, Texas, said his teenage grandchildren downloaded music onto his computer during their visits to his home. Pickle, who was unaware he was being sued until contacted by The Associated Press, said he rarely uses the computer in his home.

"I'm not a computer-type person," Pickle said. "They come in and get on the computer. How do I get out of this? Dadgum it, got to get a lawyer on this."

An estimated 60 million Americans participate in file-sharing networks, using software that makes it simple for computer users to find and retrieve for free virtually any song by any artists.

"Nobody likes playing the heavy," said RIAA President Cary Sherman, who compared illegal downloads to shoplifting. "There comes a time when you have to stand up and take appropriate action."

Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., has promised hearings into how the music industry has identified and tracked the Internet users it's suing.

"They have a legitimate interest that needs to be protected, but are they protecting it in a way that's too broad and overreaching?" Coleman said. "I don't want to make criminals out of 60 million kids, even though kids and grandkids are doing things they shouldn't be doing."

The RIAA did not identify for reporters which Internet users it was suing. Federal courthouses in New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and elsewhere reported receiving lawsuits.

With estimates that half of file-sharers are teenagers, all sides braced for the inevitable legal debate surrounding the financial damage to parents or grandparents. The RIAA named as the defendant in each lawsuit the person who paid for the household Internet account.

Associated Press business writer Alex Veiga contributed to this story from Los Angeles.