According to the BBC, "The music industry has been hard-hit by illegal downloading."

That is, of course, complete rubbish. But the mainstream media parrot it as a statement of fact just as though it was reliable information from credible sources

Now, "More than 8,000 alleged file sharers are facing legal action, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI)," says the BBC, and, "It forms part of the ongoing battle by the recording industry to put an end to illegal downloading.

The latest attack takes in 17 different countries who have been allegedly using sites including BitTorrent, eDonkey, SoulSeek and WinMX, according to the IFPI, owned and controlled by EMI, Warner Music, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG.

And for the first time Brazil, Mexico and Poland are included in the bizarre war the Big Four are waging against their own customers.

"Parents whose children have been illegally file-sharing have also been targeted," says the story.

What else is new? And they're being targetted in more ways than one. The IFPI is also expecting moms and dads to print out a cartel-supplied pledge it calls a "special internet use 'Family Agreement' certificate" which, "the family has agreed in relation to safety and responsible use in the home".

Meanwhile, "Critics of the IFPI's policy argue that the music industry is targetting its natural audience and that the real causes of CD sales declining are DVD sales, computer games sales and pricing," adds the BBC, almost as a footnote.

Also See:
BBC - File sharers facing legal action, October 17, 2006
Family Agreement' certificate - IFPI revives DFC DRM, October 14, 2006