Have the RIAAs lawsuits been effective in combating illegal file-sharing?
Although its too early to tell what the long-term effects of the RIAAs lawsuits will be, it seems that they may be having a limiting affect. According to a survey by Nielsen/NetRatings, file-sharing using the Kazaa software has dropped by about 40% since the RIAA filed its first lawsuits against college students. Additionally, public awareness that it is illegal to use file-sharing technology to transfer copyrighted music has clearly increased considerably as a result of the media attention the RIAA enforcement efforts have generated. While estimates indicate that the overall amount of file-sharing has not decreased and may have increased, its possible that the lawsuits have at least limited the growth of illegal file-sharing, especially since broadband Internet access has increased dramatically in recent years which makes it much easier to download large files.
