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Sony Gets Geohot's Hardware, But Not YouTube/Twitter User Info

Posted by Soulskill on from the win-some-lose-some dept.

RedEaredSlider writes "A Federal court in California has denied Sony's motion to pull the personal information of Twitter and YouTube users who might have downloaded code that allows PlayStation 3s to run with alternative operating systems. The company had filed a motion for discovery, asking for the personal information of users of Twitter and YouTube who might have a connection with George Hotz, who had published a piece of code on his Web site that allowed a PlayStation 3 to run other operating systems as well as pirated games. Sony was, in essence, asking for the contact information of people who had commented on the video Hotz posted showing how he used the code, as well as people he may have corresponded with via Twitter. The judge in the case, Susan Illston, denied the motion. Hotz is still under a restraining order that forbids him from offering any methods or software that allow people to modify their Sony PlayStation 3s. Nor is he allowed to provide links to sites that offer such methods or software. He is also ordered to turn over his computers to Sony."

14 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Fuck Sony by kimvette · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Fuck Sony.

    --
    The Christian Right is Neither (Christian nor right). See: Matthew 23, Matthew 25, Ezekiel 16:48-50
    1. Re:Fuck Sony by by+(1706743) · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Fuck Sony.

      I think your two words (plus Insightful moderation) just 'bout sums up everything.

    2. Re:Fuck Sony by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And the solution is to either boycott Sony, or better yet buy their products then return them with the excuse that the DRM on them prevents them from being used for some of the uses their advertising implies they can be used for.

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    3. Re:Fuck Sony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In this country, the rule is supposed to be that every person can do what they want, less a few exceptions that are intended to ensure that every person can do what they want.

      If a corporation has become so powerful that it can enforce such nonsense as "you bought that, but you don't own it," and "my money trumps your freedom" then its existence should be brought to an end. We allow the existence of corporations in order to enhance our individual freedom, not the other way around.

    4. Re:Fuck Sony by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Insightful

      So...the law is saying this guy basically has no right to do what he wishes with his own hardware he bought?

      No ... just that he can't tell everyone else how to do it when Sony can make the case that what he's shown is how to do illegal things.

      Now, as to if that makes any sense ...

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    5. Re:Fuck Sony by Moryath · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No, the judge is saying she has the right to demand that Geohot hand over hardware to Sony.

      Not to the court for information to be determined whether it is relevant for Sony's case, but DIRECTLY TO SONY.

      Yeah. It is that fucked up. Essentially, he's punished before any guilt is found.

      Even further in the ruling, though, she allowed Sony to play jurisdiction-shopping and keep the lawsuit in San Francisco despite NOTHING in the case being related to that area, except that it makes it infinitely harder for Geohot to defend since he will have to fly back and forth and back and forth every time this brainless bimbo schedules a hearing.

      Yet another case with a technological moron judge saying "oh, what the big corporation wants the big corporation gets. Shut up you peon you shouldn't have messed with a big corporation."

      Someone please - check into this corrupt judge's finances. I suspect there are some doozies in there.

  2. I'm Confused by TubeSteak · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why isn't George Hotz (GeoHot) having a third party do the discovery on his computer(s)?
    Then his lawyer and him sit down with the 3rd party to go over their discovery and assert privilege on what they feel should not be shared.
    Finally, the Judge makes a decision on the privilege claims and only then does Sony get to see anything.

    At least that's usually how these things work when you don't want the other side trolling through your papers or hard drives.

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
    1. Re:I'm Confused by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm in an graduate level Advanced Computer Forensics course right now... and the fact that they aren't having a 3rd party do this is shameful, with the "point and click" forensics software out there now a days... they could just enter the hex for the key and find every copy of it on the drive, and then just look near those places... etc... geohot should MD5(which is still forensically "good" for fingerprinting (oddly... from someone with a crypto background) but SHA-1/SHA-256/CRC/etc his drive to make sure that nothing is tampered with... preserve data integrity.

      Though... personally I would just give them a freshly wiped HDD and call it a day, and apologize to the judge and tell them it was b/c of the Sony root-kit on a CD he bought at a thrift store ;)

  3. 46 DC EA D3 17 FE 45 D8 09 23 EB 97 E4 95 64 10 D4 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    That's funny 46 DC EA D3 17 FE 45 D8 09 23 EB 97 E4 95 64 10 D4 CD B2 C2

  4. Just Sony? by TheNinjaroach · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You act like it's Sony's fault that our justice system lets them get away with this crap.

    --
    I went to eat some animal crackers and the box said, "Do not eat if seal is broken." I opened the box and sure enough..
    1. Re:Just Sony? by TheNinjaroach · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The justice system also granted Sony the privilege to seize GeoHot's equipment for sharing three integers. That is flawed.

      --
      I went to eat some animal crackers and the box said, "Do not eat if seal is broken." I opened the box and sure enough..
  5. Re:Insane by gorzek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The root cause of our clusterfuck of a political system is money. People don't win elections unless they outspend their opponents, so they have to sell themselves to the highest bidder to get campaign funds. Once they're in office, it's time to pay the piper. American politics are dominated by special interests. Same reason real budget reform isn't happening: every little cut you make is going to piss off at least one of the monied interest groups that got you into office. What do you do? Cut things that benefit people who have no money, like public assistance programs. Poor people have no money and usually don't vote, so they're easy to fuck over.

    --
    Check out my world simulator thingy.
  6. Who Owns Your Playstation3? by penguin_dance · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is like buying a computer and then being told you can only run Windows on it. If want want to risk bricking my system, I should be allowed to do it.

    Void the warranty...no problem. But you bought it. You should be able to run any damn system you want on it.

    --
    If you've never been modded as "flamebait" or "troll," you've never tried to argue a minority viewpoint here!
  7. What's the problem? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    I am glad Sony is doing this. While I don't like their business practices, they've done the right think with GeoHot. GeoHot is not trying to give you more freedom on your PS3, fail0verflow did that. GeoHot stepped in later and went the extra step so useless sacks of shit like him can pirate games. If Sony gets what they want from GeoHot and stops there, I see no problem with continuing to buy their products.

    I still think what Sony did with the PS3 was bullshit, though.