Sony Settles With FTC Over Rootkits

The FTC has struck a deal with Sony punishing Sony for the rootkits it included on millions of CDs in 2005. The deal is exactly like the Texas and California settlements — $150 a rootkit. The settlement isn't final yet. There will be a 30-day public consultation. American citizens who read Slashdot might want to put in their two cents. Comments will be accepted through March 1 at: FTC, Office of the Secretary, Room H-135, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580 (snail mail only). Here is the FTC page announcing the settlement.

Comments

150? If by 150 you mean 150ml

[Cocoshimmy]

How about 150ml of the Sony CEO's blood per rootkit. If they run out, then start taking blood from the rest of the executives in a hierarchical fashion.

Save your reciept ?

[Joebert]

Under the settlement, Sony BMG must allow consumers to exchange affected CDs bought before 31 December 2006, and reimburse them up to $150 (£76) to repair damage to their computers.

I understand why stores require reciepts to return stuff, but when it comes to CDs which are non-returnable once that plastic wrap is taken off, who the hell bothers to save the reciept ?
How are they going to know when the CD was purchased ?

Meanwhile, RIAA wants $750 per song...

[Zaatxe]

Isn't that a little unfair?

If someone in their basement pulled the exact.....

[Anonymous Coward]

....same thing, their asses would be in the slammer in no time. Sony souldn't be treated any different. This was a computer crime, plain and simple.

So if I'm reading the settlement site correctly...

[Telephone Sanitizer]

Without a receipt for repair services the most that you can qualify for is $25 dollars, at their discretion.

If you removed the unlawful hack yourself, no matter how much pain and suffering it caused, there is every probability that they will compensate you exactly nothing.

(I mean nothing but the opportunity to exchange your defective CD for a slightly less defective one or a DRM-laden download.)

I think the kicker is that this is one of those fancy federal consent-decrees -- like the one that was used to "break" the Microsoft monopoly way back when. They agree not to be such meanies and in exchange, they receive total immunity from prosecution on any related federal charges and all state laws that conflict with the federal decision are automatically superseded.

I'm so glad that the feds are looking out for me. With punishment like that, Sony surely KNOWS they've been naughty. It's certain that they won't do anything like THAT again.

Claim form help?

[Kredal]

The claim form you need to fill out for recompensation is at this link.

One of the questions is as follows:

7. Briefly describe the type of harm / damage / problem you experienced and the steps that you
took in response:

What kinds of problems, other than the pain of removing it, did people have? Was any actual damage done? Did anyone's computer get taken over? I'm just curious what a valid response would be to this, for when I fill out the form.

Re:how does this multiply out?

[Professor_UNIX]

How many people won't even know that they have been rooted?

This sounds like the perfect opportunity for one of those chain e-mail letters to be circulated. "Have you played any of these Sony CDs on your computer? If so you're entitled to $150. Pass this along to 5 other people or you will die tomorrow!"

Understatement of the year...

[Panaqqa]

According to the FTC, the software also exposed consumers to significant security risks and was unreasonably difficult to uninstall.

Huh? "Reasonably difficult"? This damned thing broke Russinovich's machine, and he had to use several utilities he developed himself to get rid of it by looking deeper into the Windows OS than I think Microsoft ever intended (or wanted) anyone to look. How many /. denizens would have looked for this little gem using named pipes to communicate?

"Difficult to uninstall"? Right...

I Chooose a Better Punishment

[N8F8]

I'll never buy something from Sony again until they change their anti-consumer practices.