Music Labels Target Piracy Suspects

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The recording industry's trade group said Thursday it will give hundreds of college students suspected of illegally sharing music online a chance to reach settlements before being

Wednesday, February 28th 2007, 11:38 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The recording industry's trade group said Thursday it will give hundreds of college students suspected of illegally sharing music online a chance to reach settlements before being sued for copyright infringement.

The move comes as the industry seeks to stamp out what it is says is rampant music piracy on campuses.

The Recording Industry Association of America said it was sending letters offering discounted settlements to 400 computer users at 13 universities.

The group intends to send hundreds of such pre-litigation letters to university computer users every month.

``The theft of music remains unacceptably high and undermines the industry's ability to invest in new music,'' said Mitch Bainwol, chairman and CEO of the association.

``This is especially the case on college campuses,'' he said.

The letters targeted students at Arizona State University, Marshall University, North Carolina State University, North Dakota State University, Northern Illinois University, Ohio University, Syracuse University, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, University of South Florida, University of Southern California, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and University of Texas, Austin.