“The state of Texas sued Sony BMG, alleging that the company ‘surreptitiously’ installed spyware on personal computers through music CDs with a copy protection program,” Agence France-Presse reports.
‘Sony has engaged in a technological version of cloak and dagger deceit against consumers by hiding secret files on their computers,” said Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott in a statement after suing under the state’s anti-spyware law,” Agence France-Presse reports. “‘Consumers who purchased a Sony CD thought they were buying music. Instead, they received spyware that can damage a computer, subject it to viruses and expose the consumer to possible identity crime.'”
Full article here.
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it only works on WINDOWS!
Tell me about NEWS!!!
Hey Sony…Don’t mess with Texas.
Good on you Texas – Sony should be strongly discouraged from this kind of practice – what right do they have to ruin people’s computers over a music cd. Why treat people as criminals? Surely treating people in this way only encourages the practice that Sony and others is trying to prevent.
Sony is going to feel the backlash from this for quite some time to come.
Sony still think a Nip and Tuck here will save them, they can dream on, their choices are pointing to a once great company grasping at allusive fortunes, look at Mr Jobs he doesnt care about money, he focusses on the love of creating quality, Sony will be now remembered for the wrong reasons.
Stick it to ’em, Texas! I hate spyware! (that’s why I bought a Mac!!!)
To what extent can Sony claim that consumers new what they were getting because revealed on the packaging and/or the software EULA?
Asta Lavista Sony/BMG! Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out!
Good time to short their stock agressively.
I’m going out and buy a Sony CD, a PC, then move to Texas. I wonder if a class action law suit will cover my expenses?
MDN Magic Word: “weeks” ’cause in a few weeks expect $ony to declare bankruptcy.
I wonder if the other greedy, sleezy Record/Movie companies and their hatchmen at the RIAA are listening?
Ya know, there are just too many frigging laywers in the world. Just another asshole trying to make a name for himself.
Regardless of whether SONY screwed up here, the world is way over-reacting to this.
” The Texas spyware law allows the state to recover damages of up to $100,000 in damages for each violation.
Abbott [Texas Attorney General] said there were thousands of violations, and that any money would go to the state.”
Uhm, let’s say conservatively there are 8,000 violations. Well that would be $800,000,000 bucks!
Like I said, good time to short SNE.
Dell has something to do with that I say.
Why hasn’t Texas sued Microsoft……After all were it not for Windows there would not be this mess……
but i see this case setting a bad precedent for all DRM-type of approach to control music including Apple’s very own Fairplay.
If ever at any time there were a hole discovered in iTunes, Apple will be liable.
why you ask? Sony will argue they are merely using a form of DRM to limit the usage of the music files on a computer. much the same way that Fairplay does with digital files. Apple is not using a rootkit methodology, but Sony will argue that they are very similar in approach, end-result being the same. so if one is deemed liable for opening the PC to spyware, why not the other if there were ever a security hole in iTunes.
I guess the only salvo for Apple is the software agreement that the user must agree to prior to installation and updates. Sony on the other hand does not offer that.
either way, i would not jump on Sony’s casket as yet as this may have sweeping repercussions in the DRM world.
Thank you for adopting this attitude of shaudenfreude (taking pleasure at the misery of others.) You are well on your way to becoming minions of the dark lord of hatred.
As noted above, this is WindowsDailyNews. The only reason Mac users are interested in this is to feel smug and superior.
Excuse Me, you sound as if you want to keep Apple’s DRM. Why? Wouldn’t you rather have no DRM period? Apple’s DRM is not for protecting the song from illegal copying. It is for tying your music to iTunes. Period. Vendor lock-in.
The RIAA was stupid insisting on DRM. Apple gave them that and all of a sudden, the RIAA has found out that DRM has given Apple unlimited control. Without DRM of any sorts, Apple would wield no more power than any other online music store.
Death to DRM. Death to the RIAA. Death to the MPAA. The Internet has made them obsolete.
1 down. 49 more states to go.
“Chris”-
Next time you need a lawyer, call a forum poster.
Jeff: “you sound as if you want to keep Apple’s DRM. Why? Wouldn’t you rather have no DRM period? Apple’s DRM is not for protecting the song from illegal copying. It is for tying your music to iTunes. Period. Vendor lock-in”
Having my DRM’d music tied to iTunes doesn’t bother me in the least, I don’t exactly excersise my right to play my non-DRM’d music in anything but iTunes as it is.
<b>I LOVE IT!!!<b>
Let this be a lesson to others who think this is the way to go.
RIAA are you listening?
Ar Criminal,
It’s written “Schadenfreude”.
First Tom DeLay, now Sony. Who would have thought that Texas would be first to go after slimeballs?
Sony didnt invent the telephoney, that was Mr Belly
Uh oh, someone’s political contributions were weighed and found wanting, eh?