The RIAA handed out gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards, filed 750 new lawsuits, named 213 specific lawsuit targets, and got slapped with new restrictions on its jihad. Bit of a busy day.

OutKast took home the first-ever download multi-platinum for their 400,000+ downloads from services including iTunes, Microsoft Music, Real Networks and amusingly Roxio's re-launched Napster. They also gave five more platinum awards (200,000+ downloads) and 45 gold awards (100,000+).

These awards are part publicity and part necessity. If the Cartel wants to call certain music services legitimate then it needs to track and reward sales on these services as it tracks and rewards physical retail sales. Of course, everyone recognizes that this isn't where the real popular music moves, but it's important to maintain appearances.

Back in the courtrooms, the RIAA filed another 750 new "John Doe" lawsuits, per usual. Unlike the previous round only a few (25) of these are said to target users on college campuses. Also, having acquired the identifying information but not the supplicant compliance it requires, the RIAA turned 213 of its previous John Doe lawsuits into suits against named individuals.

Finally, the jihad suffered a small setback when Pennsylvania district Judge Cynthia Rufe ordered that the RIAA had to provide greater privacy and due process protection to its targets. In specific, people have to be given a notice explaining their legal rights and they must receive this notice before their ISP can be compelled to hand over their information.

The order only affects ISPs in eastern PA, but may serve as a model to other judges seeking to establish a little more balance in the ongoing proceedings.