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Apple Hides Account Info in DRM-Free Music

Alvis Dark writes "Apple launched iTunes Plus earlier today, the fruit of its agreement with EMI to sell DRM-free music. What they didn't say is that all DRM-free tracks have the user's full name and account e-mail embedded in them. Is this to discourage people from throwing the tracks up on their favorite P2P platform? 'It would be trivial for iTunes to report back to Apple, indicating that "Joe User" has M4As on this hard drive belonging to "Jane Userette," or even "two other users." This is not to say that Apple is going to get into the copyright enforcement business. What Apple and indeed the record labels want to watch closely is, will one user buy music for his five close friends?'"

8 of 669 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Trivial to remove by vertinox · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can right click on the file and convert it to mp3, which would erase all tracks.

    Its not trivial if you have a one button mouse! ;)

    --
    "I am the king of the Romans, and am superior to rules of grammar!"
    -Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor (1368-1437)
  2. How long till it's spoofed? by twitter · · Score: 4, Funny

    Someone needs to write a program that inserts Bill Gates name and email address into the tags. Only he has enough money to pay of the MAFIAA.

    --

    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.

  3. Cool by hurfy · · Score: 5, Funny

    An easy way for me and my 1,203,382 roommates to keep track of what belongs to who ;)

  4. You got that motto wrong :) by GoodbyeBlueSky1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on...shame on you. Fool me...you can't get fooled again."
    --The Decider, 2002

    --
    why? forty-two.
  5. Re:Trivial to remove by evanbd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple has a two-button mouse, they just hid one of the buttons on the keyboard...

  6. Re:The advantage then of buying real CD's by StikyPad · · Score: 5, Funny

    My licence plate is an anchor, you insensitive clod.

  7. Re:The advantage then of buying real CD's by jpetts · · Score: 5, Funny

    the media industry has historically fought against even the existance of blank recording media and recorders
    You spelt "hysterically" wrong...
    --
    Call me old fashioned, but I like a dump to be as memorable as it is devastating - Bender
  8. Re:The advantage then of buying real CD's by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This comment is probably a bit late for anyone to read, but a REALLY smart P2P client would strip any identifying tags and replace them with the details of RIAA executives