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The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has announced that it will stop suing individuals thought to be sharing music. The previous strategy consisted of threatening filesharers with hefty lawsuits if they didn’t settle out of court, a scare tactic that has gained the music industry more bad press than actual results. Instead, the RIAA is going to work with ISPs to penalize filesharers and warn them with emails like this.

I’m glad that the music industry is abandoning the largely ineffective mass lawsuits, but keep in mind that the music business is far from “fixed.” The beleaguered industry has a long, bumpy road ahead.

Real talk: I got a warning letter for uploading a few Cam’ron CDs back in the day. Don’t ask.

The Wall Street Journal via Slashdot