Sony to Settle Spyware Suit with Downloads?

modemac writes to tell us the Seattle PI is reporting that a judge has 'tentatively' approved a settlement against Sony BMG that would give customers free music downloads as compensation for the recent flawed 'rootkit' software on many new CDs. From the article: 'According to terms of the settlement, Sony BMG will let consumers who bought the CDs receive replacement discs without the anti-piracy technology and will let them choose one of two incentive packages. The first package lets consumers who bought XCP CDs to obtain a cash payment of $7.50 and a promotion code allowing them to download one additional album from a list of more than 200 titles. The second package permits them to download three additional albums from the list. The court papers said Sony BMG would try to offer Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes as one of the download services available to the consumers.'"

Comments

Has Sony set a price?

[O'Rabbit]

It seems to me that Sony, in their settlement, seems to have set a price on the value of the data on their music CDs.

The choice of packages is:

1. one free download plus $7.50, or
2. three free downloads.

Doing the math says that each downloaded album is therefore worth $3.75 by their own reckoning.

On the other hand, that suggests that there are three and three-quarter songs worth downloading on their albums, by iTunes pricing...