If you're caught file-sharing in the United States, there's usually hell to pay. Just ask Joel Tenenbaum or Jammie Thomas-Rasset, who are looking at $675,000 and $1.9 million dollar penalties. That's after being found guilty in a court of law by a jury of their peers. If you're lucky and don't want to fight it out in court, you can 'settle' for about $3,000.00.

Downloading isn't as dangerous in the United States as it used to be. Since the RIAA and MPAA have effectively concluded their lawsuit campaigns (the MPAA's was halfhearted at best), we look to other countries where things are just heating up - such as Switzerland.

Take for example the IFPI's press release on a recent courtroom 'victory' against an alleged file-sharer. An 18 year old Swiss woman was accused of sharing over 4,000 songs on ED2K and... er... BearShare. She apparently was offered to settle, but instead fought the charges and lost. Surely, she was looking at a multimillion dollar penalty, right? Wrong.

"She was ordered to pay a statutory fine of 900 Swiss francs (US$885), with an additional penalty of 400 Swiss Francs (US$394) levied by the court. If the additional penalty of 400 Swiss Francs is not paid then the woman faces a 14 day prison sentence. She also has to pay court costs of 250 Swiss francs (US$246)."

In total, that comes to an astounding $1,525 - for losing! Compared to what US citizens have to pay, even before the case begins, it seems that the file-sharing culture in Switzerland is alive and well.