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Sony BMG Settles Up with Music Fans for Copy-Protection Debacle
Electronic Frontier Foundation Media Release For Immediate Release: Thursday, February 16, 2006 Contact: Corynne McSherry Staff Attorney Electronic Frontier Foundation corynne@eff.org +1 415 436-9333 x122 Kurt Opsahl Staff Attorney Electronic Frontier Foundation kurt@eff.org +1 415 436 9333 x106 Sony BMG Settles Up with Music Fans for Copy-Protection Debacle EFF Urges Consumers to Claim Clean CDs and Extra Downloads San Francisco - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is urging music fans who purchased Sony BMG music CDs containing flawed digital rights management (DRM) to submit their claims now for clean CDs and extra downloads as part of a class action lawsuit settlement. "This settlement gives consumers what they thought they were buying in the first place -- clean, safe music that will play on their computers and their iPods as well as their stereo systems," said EFF Staff Attorney Kurt Opsahl. Anyone who purchased Sony BMG CDs that included First4Internet XCP and SunnComm MediaMax software can receive the same music without DRM. Some will also get downloads of other Sony BMG music from several different services, including iTunes. Music fans have through the end of the year to participate in the settlement, and they should receive their compensation within six to eight weeks of submitting their claim forms. Customers can find out more about the settlement and how to submit their claims at http://www.eff.org/sony. The problems with the Sony BMG CDs surfaced when security researchers discovered that XCP and MediaMax installed undisclosed--and in some cases, hidden--files on users' Windows computers, potentially exposing music fans to malicious attacks by third parties. The infected CDs also communicated back to Sony BMG about customers' computer use without proper notification. In addition to compensating consumers, Sony BMG was forced to stop manufacturing CDs with both First4Internet XCP and SunnComm MediaMax software. The settlement also waives several restrictive end user license agreement (EULA) terms and commits Sony BMG to a detailed security review process prior to including any DRM on future CDs. "This settlement got music fans a fair shake in exchange for a raw deal," said EFF Staff Attorney Corynne McSherry. "If you were upset about this DRM debacle, submitting your claim is one way to show the entertainment industry that you want to be treated with respect and fairness." EFF and its co-counsel--Green Welling LLP, Lerach, Coughlin, Stoia, Geller, Ruchman and Robbins, and the Law Offices of Lawrence E. Feldman and Associates--along with a coalition of other plaintiffs' class action counsel, reached the settlement after negotiations with Sony BMG in December of 2005. To submit your claim: http://www.eff.org/sony For litigation documents and frequently asked questions: http://www.eff.org/IP/DRM/Sony-BMG/ For this release: http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_02.php#004413 About EFF The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading civil liberties organization working to protect rights in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF actively encourages and challenges industry and government to support free expression and privacy online. EFF is a member-supported organization and maintains one of the most linked-to websites in the world at http://www.eff.org/ -end- _______________________________________________ presslist mailing list https://falcon.eff.org/mailman/listinfo/presslist (Log in to post comments)
Sony BMG Settles Up with Music Fans for Copy-Protection Debacle Posted Feb 23, 2006 13:34 UTC (Thu) by NRArnot (subscriber, #3033) [Link] There are still millions of CDs out there containing the rootkit, owned by folks who don't own computers. Then they'll buy a computer. Or they'll sell the CD on E-bay to someone who hasn't heard of the problem. Or it'll end up in the office and some random will pop it into a PC to have a listen. Can't do any harm, can it. It's a legal Sony audio CD. Not as if it were some random bootleg software CD-R.
In short there is going to be a lot of ongoing trouble right up until the last PC running Windows XP is turned off for the last time, and I hope that Sony BMG continues to receive the flak and lawsuits it richly deserves. Personally I won't be buying anything Sony branded if there's any decent alternative, for many years hence. I hope you won't either. If I'd done what they did, I'd be called a writer of malware and would probably be doing time in jail.
Sony BMG Settles Up with Music Fans for Copy-Protection Debacle Posted Feb 24, 2006 6:13 UTC (Fri) by grouch (guest, #27289) [Link] "If I'd done what they did, I'd be called a writer of malware and would probably be doing time in jail."
Yes, indeed. Where is the jail time for the perpetrator and the bounty pay-out to the one who exposed the malicious attack?
I, too, have placed Sony on my 'do not buy' list, even for little things like blank mini-DV tapes.
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