In a surprising move, music industry trade organization, the RIAA has announced that it will be ending its strategy of suing individual file sharers. While the campaign has led to some settlements, it had been a PR disaster, with the RIAA suing dead people, single mothers, disabled and elderly people and often having cases thrown out.

Under the new strategy, the group will be communicating with file sharers through ISPs. Thet will ask file sharers to stop, If the customers continue the file-sharing, they will get one or two more emails, perhaps accompanied by slower service from the provider. Finally, the ISP may cut off their access altogether. This depends on the individual ISP of course.

The group does plan to still file suits against particularly heavy file sharers, but will take a more hands off approach while it reevaluates its strategy. You can find more details via The Wall Street Journal.