Music industry plans second round of suits

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The music industry plans to sue hundreds more in a second round of legal action against people who illegally share copyrighted song files over the Internet.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has sent letters to 204 persons since Monday, saying they will be sued unless they settle copyright infringement charges.

In a wave of lawsuits last month, the industry group sued 261 persons.

By notifying file sharers, the RIAA is bowing to pressure from Sen. Norm Coleman, Minnesota Republican, who criticized the industry group's tactics when it filed the initial round of lawsuits.

Many people found out from reporters they had been sued, and Mr. Coleman asked RIAA Chairman Mitch Bainwol during a Sept. 30 hearing to warn people before beginning another legal assault.

"We take the concerns expressed by policy-makers and others very seriously," RIAA President Cary Sherman said in a statement yesterday.

Critics of the recording industry said the group's plan to sue more file sharers came as no surprise.

"They've been saying for a while they would do this," said Wendy Seltzer, staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco group that promotes digital rights for consumers.

In letters mailed this week to targets of the latest antipiracy offensive, the recording industry warned people they "intend to file a lawsuit against you shortly for copyright infringement. ... The record companies take copyright infringement very seriously" and artists "all depend on the sale of recordings to earn a living."