Reflecting on the controversy surrounding socio-economics online, Cary Sherman, president of the Recording Industry Association of America, the music industry's chief lobbying group stated,.
"Nobody likes playing the heavy and resorting to litigation, but when you're being victimized by illegal activity there is a time you have to stand up and take action".
However, there are apparently opposing views on the meaning of "being victimized". The move switches the focus of the recording industry's legal assault from file-sharing companies to users of file-sharing programs, most of whom are avid music fans. The recording industry is counting on the lawsuits to discourage rampant music piracy online, which they blame for years of decline in compact disc sales. But opponents of the move believe the tactic could backfire, alienating music companies' customers.
The music companies offered some users a form of amnesty under which individuals not currently under investigation must pledge not to share pirated music over the Internet. Users who sign an sworn statement promising to delete illegal copies of songs on their computers and take other steps are promised to not be sued for their past actions, the recording companies said. File-sharing companies say they don't believe the lawsuits will significantly diminish use of their software. Wayne Rosso, the president of Grokster Ltd., a file-sharing company that has been sued by music companies affirmed this notion by saying,.
"You'll get a very small percentage of users that get scared off by their storm-trooper scare tactics. However, the vast majority just don't care.".
Recording industry executives didn't identify the individuals they are suing, adding that, in most cases, they knew little about the defendants beyond their names and addresses. Almost a dozen lawsuits were filed in federal court in San Francisco, and about 70 were filed in federal court in New York.
