RIAA Lying Again
The RIAA has constantly said that they are suing file sharers to raise awareness of the piracy issue, and not to seek financial benefits.
The group has said on numerous occasions that its legal campaign against P2P users isn’t about making money—indeed, an industry executive testified during the Jammie Thomas trial that the lawsuits are a money-losing proposition. Instead, the suits are meant, among other things, as a deterrent to copyright infringement and to teach P2P users a lesson.
There is a good article covering the story and the actions of the RIAA.