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RIAA's 2008 tax return has showed that the industry body spent $17.6 million on legal costs fighting online piracy, but only managed to bring in $391,000 in settlements and damages.
Added to their previous years' spendings, the total amount is $64 million, with $1.4 million coming back.
The RIAA will point to the tougher (and expensive) actions as having more effect at preventing or stopping piracy than in actual returns on damages, but with file sharing growing every day, it seems the RIAA's actions have not been totally successful.
As for who will eventually pay for the cost of fighting legal battles against single mothers, students, 10 year old girls and grandmas, it will be the artists that the RIAA are "protecting" of course. Labels have always exploited artists, and if they choose to pass on the cost of futile legal battles to them won't be anything too surprising.
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Added to their previous years' spendings, the total amount is $64 million, with $1.4 million coming back.
The RIAA will point to the tougher (and expensive) actions as having more effect at preventing or stopping piracy than in actual returns on damages, but with file sharing growing every day, it seems the RIAA's actions have not been totally successful.
As for who will eventually pay for the cost of fighting legal battles against single mothers, students, 10 year old girls and grandmas, it will be the artists that the RIAA are "protecting" of course. Labels have always exploited artists, and if they choose to pass on the cost of futile legal battles to them won't be anything too surprising.
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