Landwell in Spain has launched its largest attack yet on file-sharers, targeting 4,000 people who are alleged to have swapped copyrighted material over the internet.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) led the way, with legal actions against peer-to-peer networks such as Napster and Kazaa. It has recently diverted from that tactic by sending subpoenas to internet service providers asking them to reveal file-sharers’ names, who it will begin legal proceedings against, but it has yet to attempt anything on this scale.
Landwell partner Javier Ribas is advising 32 Spanish companies, which he refuses to identify for fear of a consumer boycott, which is the reason why the RIAA has yet to attempt such an action.
Ribas used the peer-to-peer networks to pinpoint the computers of 95,000 Spaniards. He narrowed this down to the 4,000 who had infringed copyrighted material most often. He hoped the case would be heard in September and said he would demand jail sentences of up to four years, which is the maximum for software pirates.