Woman fined $295,000 for sharing 24 songs

America's recording industry today won the first round in its war against online music sharing.

Jammie Thomas, a single mother from Minnesota, was slapped with an order to pay $220,000 ($NZ295,977 for sharing 24 songs online, reports news agency AFP.

The RIAA and a group of music labels have sued 26,000 for illegally sharing music, and Thomas was one of the first to refuse a settlement.

She could have been fined $US150,000 per song if the jury decided she had wilfully infringed copyrights.

The record companies could have also sued for the 1702 songs in her shared music folder.

- NZ HERALD STAFF