The AP is reporting that after many long years, the RIAA has abandoned its policy of suing people for sharing songs protected by copyright. Instead however it will work with ISP's to try and cut off thoes who are comiting the infringement.

According to the article, the RIAA has sued some 35,000 people since the program started in 2003, which the RIAA got an average of $3500 per lawsuite.

"We're at a point where there's a sense of comfort that we can replace one form of deterrent with another form of deterrent," said RIAA Chairman and Chief Executive Mitch Bainwol. "Filing lawsuits as a strategy to deal with a big problem was not our first choice five years ago."

The new system according to the RIAA is a lot more effectint, having sent out more notices in the last 5 months then lawsuites they have filed since 2003.

"It's much easier to send notices than it is to file lawsuits," Bainwol said. 

Read the article here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gfmThZ1bZlDu064ld5mXyNTzTWfwD95671K80