RIAA kills Grokster, music wars and file-sharing continues
November 9, 2005 
Grokster has agreed to cease distribution of their file-sharing software as part of a settlement in a lawsuit against them by the Recording Industry of America. But don’t think that means the online music wars are over…
Grokster Calls It Quits on Sharing Music Files:
Grokster, a developer of file-swapping software used to trade copyrighted music and movie files, said Monday that it would halt distribution of the software and cut off support for its associated network as part of a landmark settlement with the recording industry and Hollywood studios.
The pact comes four months after the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Grokster could be held liable for copyright infringement by users of its software, a decision that delivered a decisive victory for entertainment companies, particularly music labels, which have blamed widespread digital piracy for a worldwide slump in sales. […]
While Grokster is disappearing in its original form, the underlying case that culminated in the Supreme Court showdown may continue. Grokster’s co-defendant in the case, Streamcast Networks, the promoter of a file-sharing network known as Morpheus, has indicated it plans to keep battling the movie studios and record labels in court.
So Grokster has given up (has anyone used Grokster to download music since 1999?), but the battle between file-sharing companies and the RIAA continues.
Of course, file-sharing has continually increased while the RIAA has been suing it’s customers and anybody else they can blame.
More broadly, the popularity of file-sharing networks shows little sign of waning in the wake of the settlement or the earlier court decision. An estimated 9.2 million people are using various so-called peer-to-peer networks at any one time, according to BigChampagne, a data service. The figure has edged up from 8.8 million in June.
So is there a point to all this, beyond scare tactics?
The RIAA has started suing file-sharing networks in Australia and South Korea and has sued over 15,000 individuals.
As we reported earlier, one person has chosen to fight back: Tanya Andersen, a 41 year old disabled single mother living in Oregon. (More on her as that case develops.)
RELATED: Do podcasts have to worry they will be sued next by the RIAA?
