In today's "how stupid can the music industry be?" segment, we learn that their anti-piracy campaign is not only stupid from a PR standpoint - but it's a money pit without clear objectives to boot! This is the kind of plan that only a lawyer who's paid by the hour could love - via Ars Technica::

The next line of questioning was how many suits the RIAA has filed so far. Pariser estimated the number at a "few thousand." "More like 20,000," suggested Toder. "That's probably an overstatement," Pariser replied. She then made perhaps the most startling comment of the day. Saying that the record labels have spent "millions" on the lawsuits, she then said that "we've lost money on this program."

The RIAA's settlement amounts are typically in the neighborhood of $3,000-$4,000 for those who settle once they receive a letter from the music industry. On the other side of the balance sheet is the amount of money paid to SafeNet (formerly MediaSentry) to conduct its investigations, and the cash spent on the RIAA's legal team and on local counsel to help with the various cases. As Pariser admitted under oath today, the entire campaign is a money pit.

The stupidity on display here is just stunning. I wonder if there's anything resembling a clue over at stupid central the RIAA.

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