ISPs try to explain RIAA anti-piracy relationship

AT&T, Cox, and Comcast are all working to clarify exactly what they are doing with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Earlier this week, executives from the three firms said they were passing warnings along to customers who the RIAA claimed were illegally uploading music files onto the Internet.

The RIAA has spent more than a year enlisting large Internet service providers in a "graduated response" strategy to deter people who are repeat offenders. Such offenders, in RIAA's view, would merit "an account suspension or something like that" but would have the right to due process and should have the option to challenge an action.

ISPs are showing more willingness to work with RIAA and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA); Comcast reportedly has forwarded 2 million warning letters to customers from the MPAA and RIAA.

Not everyone is playing ball with the associations. Verizon, known for having some very savvy lawyers, isn't cooperating with RIAA.

For more:
- Wall Street Journal on ISPs and RIAA. Blog [1].

Related articles
AT&T on RIAA anti-piracy team [2]
Cnet reported in January that AT&T probably would work with the RIAA [3]