RIAA GOING AFTER FILE-SHARING ORGS NEXT?

With the RIAA's anti-P2P campaign targeting individual file-swappers and colleges since its legal action began last September, are corporations next on their hit list?

According to the Digital Music News, they very well might be. Most companies have ultra-high speed connections, often T1 or T3, making file-swapping pretty easy. But that behavior is now being monitored more closely by companies that want to avoid any legal hassles.

Although the tighter surveillance has rankled some employees, a tight job market has probably served to minimize the issue.

The RIAA issued its first warning shot to Fortune 1000 companies last February, sending letters and brochures on copyright infringement. An unexpected RIAA enforcement actually occurred in 2002, with a $1 million out-of-court settlement reached with Integrated Information Systems, Inc. That company was found to be running a server loaded with illegally
downloaded mp3s, often accessed by employees.

Most corporations are taking the safe route by monitoring employees to an extent that makes sense, with many legal departments at least warning employees of the legal pitfalls.

Per one RIAA spokesperson: "As for future enforcement actions, we will follow the trail wherever it leads us."

What's next? Random drug tests?