Woman Guilty of File-Sharing, Fined $222K

A Minnesota woman was found guilty of copyright infringement today in the first file-sharing case to go before a US jury, Wired reports. Jammie Thomas, a single mother, was ordered to pay $222,000 in fines, or $9,250 for each of the 24 shared songs that were the subject of the suit brought by the Recording Industry Association of America.

While the verdict is likely to embolden the RIAA in its fight against online piracy, Wired writes, it isn't likely to result in increased profits for record companies or deter illegal file-sharing outfits. The RIAA could benefit in future lawsuits from precedents set in the case, including a ruling favoring the recording industry on standards of proof against the defendant. (More Kazaa stories.)