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Sony settles class action lawsuit over DRM
Sony BMG has struck a deal with the plaintiffs involved in a class action lawsuit over rootkit software the company utilised with its music CDs. Under this settlement, Sony will offer US customers money and free downloads to encourage them to replace CDs that have the rootkit.
The record label has agreed to compensate buyers of CDs that contained the XCP and MediaMax DRM programs, and to provide software utilities to allow consumers to uninstall both types of software from their computer.
Its looking like customers who exchange their XCP CD can either download three albums from a list of over 200 titles, or can claim a cash payment of $7.50 (£4.36) and a free download of one album. MediaMax CDs are not being recalled, but there is compensation offered for buyers of these disks as well.
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User Comments (15)
Post a comment| luvhuffer on December 29, 2005 8:55 PM | I'm not sure I get this. They are recalling the XCP CD's but not the MediaMax? Since their first "fix" for the MediaMax contained a flaw that could allow a low-level user on Windows systems to gain administrative access to the computer, same as the program they were issuing the fix for, as well as allow malicious code to run, you would think they would want them off the market a well. As is usually the case with class action suits, the lawyers will get the bulk of the money, and maybe they got enough to ignore the rest? I have Sony Stereo equiptment, CD and DVD ROMs, speakers, 2 TV's etc. This has shaken my trust in them at such a basic level, I for one will never buy another Sony product.
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| CrossFire851 on December 30, 2005 3:50 AM | I need to get one of those cd's that gain admin rights for school. hahaha
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| smtkr on December 30, 2005 8:05 AM | This is kind of ridiculous, but I expected it. Basically, you get half your money back and a free album...from them. I would want the full 16 USD back.
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| MonkeyMan on December 30, 2005 8:39 AM | Well, you know, I'm sure they would have done this anyway without the lawsuit lol. But rest assured, this is another reason why software is pirated!!!!!! they are giving ppl a reason to do it!!!!!!! But once again Sony, I love your products, and your consoles, so I'm not going to complain about anything!!!!!!!! yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh, yeh yeh, BABY!!!!!!!!!! I think I've been watching way too much austin powers lol.
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| rhennau on December 30, 2005 8:42 AM | Maybe I'm just being cynical here, but the question for me now becomes... 'how much did the attorney(s) make off of this settlement? If any one has heard (and I doubt it as the legal professionals are generally pretty closed-mouthed about THAT aspect) please post it.
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| Crofty74 on December 30, 2005 9:26 AM | So they are not offering a full refund, thats rubbish, the offer should be a full refund and compensation for the damage done to people PC's imo and thats not on the list.
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| mirob on December 30, 2005 10:40 AM | Sony's stll lying.
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| canadian on December 30, 2005 1:27 PM | And this kiddies, is why downloading from Ares is better then buying CD's.
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| Xenophore on December 30, 2005 6:11 PM | One lawsuit may have been settled, but it looks like Texas v. Sony BMG is still on. 
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| cyrax on December 31, 2005 12:39 AM | Sony will need to adopt some honesty before i purchase their products.
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| mentaljedi on December 31, 2005 9:32 AM | Sony? honesty? why don't u ask Microsoft to kiss Google. That's a bit more likely...
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| raystorm on December 31, 2005 7:15 PM | Gotta love that slap on the wrist! Giving back 1 cd and getting 3 full album downloads isn't too bad (assuming the albums can be burned to cd or put into a mp3 layer).
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| Mictlantecuhtli on January 1, 2006 6:35 AM | Originally posted by canadian:
Generalising much?
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| luismigilbert on January 2, 2006 9:33 AM | at least SONY took some responabilty...
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| sausman_nz on January 4, 2006 1:13 AM | sony has only taken responsibility because they have been caught. hate them
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