RIAA to Hold Off on Mass Lawsuits

The Recording Industry Association of America confirmed Friday it will no longer pursue mass lawsuits against copyright infringers, which includes a significant number of college students, the Wall Street Journal reports. The RIAA, which has pursued about 35,000 people since 2003, said it is abandoning its longtime strategy—which critics say did little except create a public relations nightmare—and will likely seek out partnerships and cooperation with Internet-service providers.

Some preliminary arrangements made with ISPs include forwarding warnings via the ISP to those heavily engaged in illegal file-sharing to ask them to stop. If they do not, the ISP may cut off service.

The RIAA may still sue those who are particularly heavy uploaders or ignore multiple warnings.