Record Labels File 80 More File-Sharing Suits

Major record companies filed an additional 80 lawsuits against alleged file sharers, following through on threats to sue people who spurned settlement offers.

The latest suits, combined with a first wave filed Sept. 8, bring the Recording Industry Assn. of America’s total to 341 lawsuits filed against people whose Internet accounts allegedly were used to share hundreds of copyrighted songs online. More than 150 people have agreed to settle the claims, typically paying $2,000 to $5,000 each.

Twenty-nine others have filed formal defenses in court, although the majority of those are in settlement talks too.

-- Jon Healey