http://news.yahoo.com/court-wont-reduce-students-music-download-fine-144922490.html
Although this isn't specifically about the stock photo industry, I thought ELI readers would find it interesting. I was quite surprised that the higher court was unwilling to hear about excessive fines. Also, there is a big difference between using an image on your site that has been seen by 20 people and sharing a song with millions of free downloaders.
Quote
The Supreme Court has refused to take up a Boston University student's constitutional challenge to a $675,000 penalty for illegally downloading 30 songs and sharing them on the Internet.
The high court on Monday refused to hear an appeal ... for illegally sharing music on peer-to-peer networks. In 2009, a jury ordered Tenenbaum to pay $675,000, or $22,500 for each song he illegally downloaded and shared. A federal judge called that unconstitutionally excessive, but the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston reinstated the penalty at the request of Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Warner Brothers Records Inc. and other record labels represented by the RIAA.
Although this isn't specifically about the stock photo industry, I thought ELI readers would find it interesting. I was quite surprised that the higher court was unwilling to hear about excessive fines. Also, there is a big difference between using an image on your site that has been seen by 20 people and sharing a song with millions of free downloaders.