Final answer:
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has sued individuals for illegally downloading music, leading to these individuals being forced to pay fines and damages for copyright infringement as a means to protect intellectual property rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has sued individuals who have downloaded music illegally. Those individuals have been forced to pay fines and damages for copyright infringement. This is inline with the laws passed by state and federal governments that protect intellectual property rights, such as copyrights and patents. An infamous case is the Supreme Court ruling in MGM Studios v. Grokster, which held that companies distributing file-sharing software could be held liable for copyright infringement. Additionally, the family of Marvin Gaye won over 5 million dollars in damages when it was determined Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke had plagiarized one of Gaye's songs. Copyright laws are designed to prevent the unauthorized copying of original works of authorship, including books and music, for commercial purposes.