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Network Associates Loses Battle to Silence Reviewers

Posted by timothy on from the prior-consent dept.

ajkessel writes "This article from today's New York Times covers a court ruling against Network Associates in a suit brought by the New York State Attorney General to invalidate Network Associate's shrink-wrap clause which states: 'The customer will not publish reviews of this product without prior consent from Network Associates Inc.' Network Associates has vowed to appeal." Reader SlashDotIDOne points to a CNET story which says "Network Associates could be forced to pay $0.50 for every license which included this draconian requirement: 'The customer will not publish reviews of this product without prior consent from Network Associates Inc.'"

7 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. So... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is it safe to even comment on the story?

    1. Re:So... by NoMoreNicksLeft · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hardly. You entered into an implied non-verbal contract with them, merely by being born on planet earth. As such, your critical review is in direct violation of the EILA (Earth Inhabitant Licensing Agreement).

      And if you think this is silly, listen to some TV executives on how they feel about commercial-skipping technology...

  2. Best Quote Ever: by Saint+Aardvark · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Our goal here was to actually increase the amount of information available to customers."--Kent Roberts, executive vice president and general counsel for Network Associates.

    --
    Carousel is a lie!
  3. 50 cents by xanadu-xtroot.com · · Score: 1, Funny

    So... what about us Corporate "Unlimited Licenses" users? How much do they "owe" me/my company?

    --
    I'm not a prophet or a stone-age man,
    I'm just a mortal with potential of a super man.
    1. Re:50 cents by CableModemSniper · · Score: 2, Funny

      You just bankrupted NA. Congratulations!

      --
      Why not fork?
  4. Re:If I'm right by jc42 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hasn't Microsoft used a similar clause in their .NET license agreement? Can that be challenged too?

    Yes, of course. But it'll take you ten years and a few million dollars in court costs. And in the end, the court will "punish" Microsoft by ordering them to send copies of the EOLA to the Technical Committee that was set up by the DoJ's "punishment". After doing that, of course, nobody will be able to use the EULA as evidence against Microsoft in any further court actions.

    --
    Those who do study history are doomed to stand helplessly by while everyone else repeats it.
  5. Good result but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Good result but NA's behaviour shows the level of (US) corporate decision-making is bottom of the barrel. Just as well businesses have so little influence on politics.