New Spyware Claim Against Sony BMG

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The Texas attorney general said on Wednesday that he added a new claim to a lawsuit charging Sony BMG Music Entertainment with violating the state's laws on deceptive trade practices by hiding "spyware" on its compact discs.

Attorney General Greg Abbott filed the original lawsuit in November, accusing the company of violating state anti-spyware laws by embedding software in its CDs and media player to monitor users' habits. The new charges brought by Abbott contend that MediaMax software used by Sony BMG to thwart illegal copying of music on CDs violated state laws because it was downloaded even if users rejected a license agreement.

"We keep discovering additional methods Sony used to deceive Texas consumers who thought they were simply buying music," Abbott said in a statement. The original lawsuit contends that Sony BMG secretly installed copy-protection software, using XCP programs, that was extremely difficult to remove from users' computers.

News source: C|Net News.com

#1 axious on 22 Dec 2005 - 15:32

Bwahahahahahaha

#2 xMorpheousx416 on 22 Dec 2005 - 15:36

(1 reply) #3 Yvo on 22 Dec 2005 - 15:46

I seriously hope this will cut into Sony BMG's profit margin. Big companies need to learn that there is a limit to what they can do to prevent piracy.

I truly hope that this will be example for other companies to follow and realize that they need to learn to respect our privacy over their piracy.

#3.1 Purgatory on 22 Dec 2005 - 18:29

It'll be an example, sure, but it's a shame that the bar for stopping these "anti-piracy" practices is so high.

#4 dhan on 22 Dec 2005 - 15:48

Die Sony Die

#5 AZKABAZ on 22 Dec 2005 - 16:25

lol!

Please don't swear

--matt74441

Last edited by #6 WoodlandSpirit on 22 Dec 2005 - 16:31

Take them to the cleaners! Hopefully it will set as an example to the rest of the 'big names'

(2 replies) #7 j0se on 22 Dec 2005 - 16:38

its good they are getting these corperate thugs trying to screw everyone over. but a 18 year old german boy makes a worm HES A CRIMINAL~! like eminem once said WHITE AMERICA for you

#7.1 Qumahlin on 22 Dec 2005 - 18:47

The fact that you quoted eminem only makes it further seem like you have no idea what your talking about.

While Sony did put "spyware" of sorts in with their copy protection, they did it with less than malicious reasons as in they weren't trying to actually harm the consumer.

The 18yr old german boy purposefully and willfully created a destructive worm for the sheer purpose of wreaking havoc and causing monetary damage. Therefore he is a criminal in that he has premeditation, criminal intent, and specifically worked towards a criminal goal.

It's not like he created the worm and it accidentally got loose and accidentally turned out to be malicious, etc,etc.

Then he also attempted to cover his tracks..another criminal behavior.

While I am vehemently against Sony and their tactics, to compare them to someone who specifically coded a program for a highly malicious intent is asinine at best

If sony had put software that spread itself computer to computer and it's sole purpose was to destroy those computers then sony would be a criminal...but thats is not even close to what happened

#7.2 redFX on 22 Dec 2005 - 22:15

Perfectly put Qumahlin, I agree

#8 NPGMBR on 22 Dec 2005 - 16:46

I have always respected Sony for the great products they have brought to the comsumer but with this rootkit and now spyware thing I have totally lost confidence in them. I'm now afraid that if I buy a Sony HD TV, or other audio equipment that it will come equipped with software and hardware that will limit the uses of my TiVo or ability to make a simple copy of something.

I can say very assurdly that Sonly no longer looks like the good guy they used to be. Wonder how long it will be before the Angel that is Google to turn to the darkside as well.

#9 CoolerUK on 22 Dec 2005 - 16:47

Im really going off Sony

#10 Snipe™ on 22 Dec 2005 - 17:10

I have plenty of Sony products, but I hoped they get PWNED for this!

#11 mysticalone on 22 Dec 2005 - 17:18

Are there not 2 sonys? One we love based in Japan, and the other screwing everyone? But both are same sony just different CEO?

(2 replies) #12 Jugalator on 22 Dec 2005 - 17:52

lol, installing a secret DRM rootkit when the user says NO to the license agreement.

It doesn't get much worse than that.

I wonder how serious it is to breach a license agreement like that.

#12.1 toadeater on 22 Dec 2005 - 18:14

Enough to make me not buy any more Sony products again until Sony provides a guarantee that it has stopped doing this kind of stuff.

I urge everyone else to boycott them as well.

#12.2 Snipe™ on 22 Dec 2005 - 22:27

I will, until PS3 comes out LOL

#13 digitalslacker on 22 Dec 2005 - 17:57

lol

#14 madnuke on 22 Dec 2005 - 17:59

They never learn do they?

#15 ahhell on 22 Dec 2005 - 18:20

It's always nice seeing Sony getting kicked in the nuts.

YEAH!!!!!!

(1 reply) #16 xpablo on 22 Dec 2005 - 18:26

I hope other organizations/corporations learn from this and stop this pratice.

I can only hope other states follow Texas against Sony BMG.

#16.1 Qumahlin on 22 Dec 2005 - 18:48

Not going to happen. Most other states don't have thier own anti-spyware bills, or their deceptive practices bill does not cover the internet/spyware

#17 M2Ys4U on 22 Dec 2005 - 19:19

Ahh, Sony BMG doign something illegal?

Whod've thunk it?

#18 obiwankenobi on 22 Dec 2005 - 19:26

shame on sony! This just keeps getting better and better.

#19 shark1 on 22 Dec 2005 - 19:50

Well, i had to buy 2 laptops for Xmas, i usually go for Sony's VAIO but since the rootkit stuff (which is unacceptable for me at least) i just bought 2 toshiba laptops.

On another subject, the EU comission crushed Microsoft for bundling Media Player with XP, but gosh VAIO are filled with so much CRAP absolute CRAP...it's amazing how much stuff i had to unistall when i bought for my office a VAIO 6 months ago...never doing that again!

#20 MajinDark on 22 Dec 2005 - 20:32

I can picture it a year from now:

"Warning: Your PlayStation 3 console has been infected with a malicious program. This console will shut down in 30 seconds. Use the PlayStation 3 antivirus software that you purchased along with your console. Caution: this software will not remove rootkits."

*looks at the back of all his PS3 game cases*

"Caution: May contain Sony DRM rootkit, use at your own risk."

#21 Croquant on 22 Dec 2005 - 22:35

Looks like Sony got caught again.
Makes me wonder how many other big corporations do similar stuff.

#22 Adequate on 23 Dec 2005 - 00:50

I'm sure there's more to it than "good intentions".

I mean, as they say, "Everything comes bigger in Texas", including its people's stupidity, and its politicians' evil intentions (ex: Bush).

#23 xpgeek on 23 Dec 2005 - 05:14

bad sony, bad, no soup for you!

#24 war on 23 Dec 2005 - 07:55

Yeah cant wait for PS3 to hit Japan and everyone crying rootkit.

#25 madd_matt on 23 Dec 2005 - 16:39

Hmmph.

Sony Stores also seem really snobbish.

My mom went into a sony store looking for a big plasma tv, and they pretty much snubbed her off because she didn't know exactly what she wanted. Doesn't sound like great sales tactics to me.

#26 EduardValencia on 23 Dec 2005 - 17:55

**** you sony!!!!!!!!!

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