Thanks to today's peer to peer technology, mp3 music lovers like you and I can get unlimited downloads of mp3 music for free. But have you ever considered that your love of free music downloads could make you the next target of an RIAA lawsuit? Since June 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America has zealously brought lawsuits against more than 20,000 music lovers like you, for downloading pirated music through file sharing programs. You need to understand this is a real threat. In this article, you will discover helpful information to help to minimize that threat when downloading mp3 music from file sharing programs.

While far from being foolproof, the best way to stay off the RIAA's radar is to never download and share any files of major copyrighted works of music from P2P file sharing programs. However, if the thrill of getting free mp3 music from file sharing programs outweighs the fear of a lawsuit, here are 3 tips to help you reduce the risk.

1. Don't download copyrighted mp3 music to any shared file folders or share any copyrighted music files you've downloaded from P2P networks. You will have to disable the sharing feature in the software. This may be easier said than done. Not all P2P client software allows users to turn off the sharing feature; therefore, you want to choose a file sharing program that permits you turn off the file sharing feature before you start downloading any free mp3 music.

2. Keep the mp3 music you download and share on the P2P network to less than 1,000 files. It appears that the RIAA brings legal action against mp3 file sharing program users who have downloaded and shared more than 1,000 music files. However, this is not a foolproof strategy because no one knows who the RIAA will or will not sue.

3. Due to the recent TorrentSpy ruling, you should avoid any file sharing application that connects you to a public tracker. As part of an order issued on May 29, 2007, TorrentSpy has been ordered to provide records of your download activities. To further protect yourself, you should consider getting software that allows you to cloak or spoof your IP address.

Remember that the RIAA is aggressively suing all types of people in these John Doe lawsuits and no one knows what type of activity will trigger a lawsuit. But by following the 3 tips provided in this article, you can reduce your risk of getting sued, as well as stay under the RIAA radar when downloading free mp3 music.