The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) has won a copyright-infringement case against the Usenet.com, the popular company used for sharing of documents, music, and other files by newsgroup users.

The lawsuit, filed by the music industry group against the longtime online newsgroup provider in October 2007, is one of the many recent cases that RIAA has filed against companies that make copyright violations possible – thereby marking a shift in RIAA’s earlier approach of targeting individuals for copyright infringement.

Finding Usenet.com liable for copyright infringement, Judge Harold Baer Jr., of the Southern District of New York, handed down the ruling to a magistrate for either imposing a fine on the company or asking it to cease and desist on all infringing activity.

In its statement about the court decision, the RIAA said that it was yet another instance of “the courts recognizing the value of copyrighted music and taking action against companies and individuals who are engaging in wide-scale infringement.”

Steven M. Marks, the RIAA Executive VP and general counsel, said that the trade group hoped that other people and companies involved in copyright infringing activity “will take note of this decisive opinion.”

Meanwhile, Usernet.com’s attorney Charles Baker said that though the company was “disappointed” in the outcome, the future of Usernet defendants will remain unaffected by the precedents set in this particular case.