The group that represents the US recording industry has stopped suing consumers for sharing copyrighted music.  Instead, they will work with internet service providers to stop these people’s internet access if warnings are ignored.

This action ends the program that was responsible for approximately 35,000 people being sued since 2003 for their music sharing activities.  Due to high legal costs, almost all of these lawsuits were settled – for an average cost of $3,500 each.

In August the association stopped sending out new lawsuits and warnings and has since made agreements with several unnamed ISPs about notifying illegal file-sharers and possibly halting their access to service.