Tue, Jan 8, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Recording industry officials are fighting back against people who illegally download music and freely share it with others over the Internet. They are especially targeting college students, who are sent letters containing an ultimatum pay us or we’ll see you in court.

A Newhouse News Service story about this tactic by the Recording Industry Association of America reported that the payment is far from nominal the average demand is about $3,500.

What makes the letter frightening for students is that the association means business. It will follow up with a lawsuit if its suggested settlement amount is not paid, which could end up costing the student a lot more.

Students are particularly vulnerable to discovery by the association because their Internet access is often through an account offered by their college. Recording industry officials have the technical capability of tracking Internet addresses linked with illegal music file sharing. And a 1999 federal law requires that colleges comply if they receive a subpoena from the recording industry demanding the names of students assigned to those addresses.

About 4,000 college students across the country have received letters since the recording industry began targeting them about a year ago, according to the Newhouse story. Altogether, Newhouse reported, about 26,000 people have received the letters since the recording industry hit on this tactic in 2003, and most have paid a settlement of $3,000 to $4,000.

Industry officials estimate 1.6 billion songs were downloaded in 2007 by students who did not pay. They hope that by targeting a relatively few offenders the majority will be scared into using legal file-sharing sites that charge fees.

We don’t buy the free-speech arguments of some offenders, or arguments about privacy or unfettered academic research. Downloading and sharing commercial recordings without permission is theft. And for that there should be consequences.