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Sony Rootkit Settlement Gets Judge's Approval
Lewis Clarke wrote to mention a ZDNet story about Monday's final approval of the rootkit settlement in the case brought against Sony BMG Music. From the article: "The agreement covers anyone who bought, received or used CDs containing what was revealed to be flawed digital rights management (DRM) software after Aug. 1, 2003. Those customers can file a claim and receive certain benefits, such as a nonprotected replacement CD, free downloads of music from that CD and additional cash payments ... At least 15 different lawsuits were filed by class action lawyers against the record label, and the New York cases were eventually consolidated into one proceeding. The parties reached a preliminary settlement with Sony BMG in December, leaving it up to a judge in a U.S. District Court in New York to make it official. "
Imagine if after reading about the original rootkit & associated vulnerabilities, you check your DNS records & see that indeed, one or more PCs you're responsible for are infected. You spend hundreds of hours following it up, removing the PCs from the network, checking to see there were no secondary malware infections, etc, etc, etc.
At the end of all your time, you still can't claim the replacement CD + download + patch, (let alone compensation for your lost time) because you didn't buy the offending CD (it was a temp receptionist).
I really want to see someone go after Sony for a real settlement. For that matter, I'd like to see a government go after Sony. Corporations have the same rights as individuals, how about we give them the same responsibilities as well. I think a four or five years of community service for the entire company (say 20 hours a week), would be about what's deserved for a widespread crack attempt like this.
There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
Here's the claim filing website for the Sony BMG settlement, since I didn't see a link to it in the article.
The solutions given almost don't seem worth it, but I'll probably opt-in anyway just so that little bit of money gets drained from Sony so they don't do this again.
It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
I believe the software did exactly what it was supposed to do. Shouldn't there be mention of a flawed *DRM *strategy being foisted upon consumers?
My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love
If a 15 year old script kiddie had done the kind of damage that Sony did with its rootkit, he'd be spending a couple of years in a "Federal PMITA prison" why does Sony get off this lightly?
Someone should be incarcerated over this.
LK
"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
If some young "cranker" released this type of virus out in the wild, he or she would be looking at serious jail time. But as is normally the case with corporations, no one is expected to be personally responsible. Just a few dollars that amounts to jack shit for a huge corporation.
Just like when Ford and Bridgestone decided to go ahead and release the exploding tires. Sure a few people got killed, but we can't press criminal charges! These are our captains of the industry! Reason #122,234 that this country is seriously messed up.
(-1, Raw and Uncut is the only way to read)
Usually in a class action lawsuit those harmed get a coupon or replacement product that's pretty much worthless. The lawyers get millions of dollars in fees in the name of "protecting consumers." So, how much did the attorneys get in this case?
As others have noted, this is a joke. Those users who were affected are entitled to a replacement CD, free downloads of the music on the CD in question (in who knows what format) or a cash settlement. So someone spends hours cleaning up the mess that Sony made and they get what amounts to $15 to $20 bucks. Most people who are affected probaby won't even bother to claim anything so Sony isn't really hurt by this. It seems to me that the lawyers who brought the class action suit are the only ones who really benefit here.
Welcome to the Empire of the United States of America.
While you serve the sufferance of the 5% of the families in this empire that own 95% of everything here, please be advised that you do not and cannot own:
Any sort of source code, any sort of music, any sort of transportation, any energy source.
You can however, license it from said 5% of the population here that own 95% of everything else.
You may buy a "rights" upgrade to your license to do as you please here, if you get caught violating the law. But bear in mind, sometimes we have to not accept your cash so we can calm the masses and throw them a "justice bone". In that instance should it happen, your "rights" license is null and void.
Above all else, while you are here please be advised that any government official can be purchased for a limited time depending on how much cash you have, and how much influence you want.
Just do not make it obvious and please use foreign banks to make sure transactions are not traceable.
Thank You and enjoy your stay!
-The Empire USA
Got Geometrodynamics? Awe, too hard to figure out? Too bad.
As scandals go, it seems like it took no time at all to go from exposure to out of court settlement. What do people make of that?
Proud member of the American Non Sequitur Society. We might not make much sense, but boy do we love pizza!
There is a complete list of the cds covered by the Settlement here.
I wonder if the judge realised the irony
in allowing Sony to give out free downloads of DRM-laden music files
to people who's computer(s) they made vunerable with their DRM software...
"flawed digital rights management"
Flawed, my ass
If I get caught burning Sony Music's HQ to the ground than that's a "flawed" bonfire.
The worst part is that the so called recall was only for the large retailers. I work in a friends shop that sells CD's. He still has these CD's sitting on the shelf. When I told my friend about this fiasco he talked to his CD distributor about the recall and they knew nothing.
We accept unjust settlements and rights infringments not because we don't care, but because we don't have time to do anything about it. People work 40, 50, 60+ hours a week just to make ends meet. Add in 5 to 10 hours of commuting, and the result is very little spare time. I have very little inclination to spend my precious off-hours studying a convolted legal system, promoting a political justice in the community, and organizing a defense against perpetators of injustice. But I also recognize that no one will defend my rights for me, and if I don't defend them myself they will be taken from me. So what can I do? Decrease my living costs rather than increase my income--increasing income always requires an increased expenditure in time, and time is the real resource, the resource that is needed to pursue legal defense and community organization. I believe the largest single expenditure for most Americans is 30-year mortgage or an infinite-year monthy rent payment. If I can use alternative building techniques and piecewise home construction (reducing or eliminating interest, which doubles or triples the cost of a thirty-year mortgage), then expenditures go down, requisite work time goes down, and active time devoted to useful pursuits goes up. We'll see how it goes.