Record industry to 'find and sue' internet file-swappers

The music industry vowed yesterday to track down and sue individual internet users who illegally swap music online.

Millions of people may be targeted as a result of the initiative, which has been launched by a powerful US record industry trade group. Individuals caught illegally swapping music online may sued for as much as £90,000 in damages.

It is thought to be the first time that consumers rather than internet services will be targeted in the battle between recording companies and on-line music copying.

Internet piracy has contributed to a slump in global sales of music of seven per cent in the past year alone, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which is leading the campaign.

"Any individual computer user who continues to steal music will face the very real risk of having to face the music," said Cary Sherman, president of the RIAA, whose members include AOL, Time Warner Inc and Sony Corp.

An estimated 2.6 billion songs and entertainment files are copied every month, according to industry experts. The group plans to curb song-swapping by tracking down the heaviest users of the most popular services such as Kazaa, Napster and Grokster.