Are there really that many unpaid interns in the software industry? I can see if someone wants to get into media or an ad agency, but those seem like the exception. I honestly can't think of a single CS major who went unpaid. I can think of just one example of a liberal arts major trying to reinvent themselves as a data scientist who spent a few months as an unpaid intern.

I understand the law, and I understand not abusing interns, but the market seems to work here. Companies with any kind of financial strength want to pay interns because otherwise they won't get the best. The exception is real skill building internships.

I won't speak for other industries. (And the government is just as bad)