[Commons-Law] Sony sued over copy-protected CDs
Why would anyone want to copy Celine Dion :))
Sony sued over copy-protected CDs
Sony BMG is facing three lawsuits over its
controversial anti-piracy software.
Revealed in late October by Windows expert Mark
Russinovich, the software copy protection system hides
using virus-like techniques.
One class-action lawsuit has already been filed in
California and another is expected in New York.
Digital rights group, the Electronic Frontier
Foundation (EFF), is also gathering information from
users to see if a case can be brought.
Court claim
The row erupted following Mark Russinovich's discovery
that Sony BMG in America was using a so-called "root
kit" to conceal the program used to stop some of its
CDs being copied.
"Root kits" are being increasingly used by virus
makers to hide their malicious wares deep inside the
Windows operating system.
Sony BMG used a program called XCP created by UK firm
First 4 Internet that employed similar cloaking
systems to hide the proprietary media player used to
play tracks on 20 CDs made by the music giant and sold
in the US.
But since Mr Russinovich wrote about his discovery the
row has snowballed and now has led to lawsuits being
filed against Sony BMG.
XCP PROTECTED CDS
Trey Anastasio - Shine
Celine Dion - On ne Change Pas
Neil Diamond - 12 Songs
Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
Chris Botti - To Love Again
Van Zant - Get Right with the Man
Switchfoot - Nothing is Sound
The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
Acceptance - Phantoms
Susie Suh - Susie Suh
Amerie - Touch
Life of Agony - Broken Valley
Horace Silver Quintet - Silver's Blue
Gerry Mulligan - Jeru
Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie
The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity
The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s
Dion - The Essential Dion
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
Ricky Martin - Life
One filed in Los Angeles by Californian attorney Alan
Himmelfarb wants to stop Sony BMG selling more CDs
protected by anti-copying software and seeks damages
for Californians that have bought any albums protected
this way.
According to a report in the Washington Post the
lawsuit alleges that Sony BMG has broken three
Californian laws. At the same time New York lawyer
Scott Kamber is planning a class-action lawsuit for
all Americans affected.
The EFF is also gathering stories from buyers of Sony
BMG CDs protected with XCP. In a statement the
organisation said: "We're considering whether the
effect on the public, or on EFF members, is
sufficiently serious to merit a lawsuit".
At the same time the Italian digital rights group,
Electronic Frontiers Italy, has asked the nation's
government to investigate Sony over its use of
anti-piracy software.
A weblog documenting the unfolding controversy and
calling for a boycott of Sony products has also been
created.
When contacted a representative for Sony BMG in the UK
referred all calls to its corporate headquarters in
New York. A call to a spokesman in that office has yet
to be returned.
Artist list
The EFF also released a partial list of all the CDs
protected with XCP. The list includes popular artists
such as Natasha Bedingfield, Celine Dion and Amerie.
It also gave advice for ways to spot if a CD is XCP
protected.
So far Sony BMG has not released a list of how many
CDs are protected or how many have been sold. It has
only said that "about 20" titles are protected with
the controversial program.
However, the row does not appear to be denting
interest in one of the CDs protected by XCP because at
the time of writing Neil Diamond's 12 Songs album was
the top seller on the Amazon.com website.
Anti-virus companies are starting to release software
that can spot the XCP files. Symantec said it had made
tools that can find the files but will not remove
them.
Computer Associates said that it would be releasing a
tool to completely uninstall the XCP program.
At the same time anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs
branded the XCP program spyware because it hides
itself, could compromise security and can slow
machines down.
Mr Russinovich has continued his investigation of the
XCP software and has confirmed that when installed it
can make a Windows computer more unreliable.
He also criticised Sony BMG for making it difficult to
get hold of software that can uninstall XCP.
Sony sued over copy-protected CDs
Sony BMG is facing three lawsuits over its
controversial anti-piracy software.
Revealed in late October by Windows expert Mark
Russinovich, the software copy protection system hides
using virus-like techniques.
One class-action lawsuit has already been filed in
California and another is expected in New York.
Digital rights group, the Electronic Frontier
Foundation (EFF), is also gathering information from
users to see if a case can be brought.
Court claim
The row erupted following Mark Russinovich's discovery
that Sony BMG in America was using a so-called "root
kit" to conceal the program used to stop some of its
CDs being copied.
"Root kits" are being increasingly used by virus
makers to hide their malicious wares deep inside the
Windows operating system.
Sony BMG used a program called XCP created by UK firm
First 4 Internet that employed similar cloaking
systems to hide the proprietary media player used to
play tracks on 20 CDs made by the music giant and sold
in the US.
But since Mr Russinovich wrote about his discovery the
row has snowballed and now has led to lawsuits being
filed against Sony BMG.
XCP PROTECTED CDS
Trey Anastasio - Shine
Celine Dion - On ne Change Pas
Neil Diamond - 12 Songs
Our Lady Peace - Healthy in Paranoid Times
Chris Botti - To Love Again
Van Zant - Get Right with the Man
Switchfoot - Nothing is Sound
The Coral - The Invisible Invasion
Acceptance - Phantoms
Susie Suh - Susie Suh
Amerie - Touch
Life of Agony - Broken Valley
Horace Silver Quintet - Silver's Blue
Gerry Mulligan - Jeru
Dexter Gordon - Manhattan Symphonie
The Bad Plus - Suspicious Activity
The Dead 60s - The Dead 60s
Dion - The Essential Dion
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
Ricky Martin - Life
One filed in Los Angeles by Californian attorney Alan
Himmelfarb wants to stop Sony BMG selling more CDs
protected by anti-copying software and seeks damages
for Californians that have bought any albums protected
this way.
According to a report in the Washington Post the
lawsuit alleges that Sony BMG has broken three
Californian laws. At the same time New York lawyer
Scott Kamber is planning a class-action lawsuit for
all Americans affected.
The EFF is also gathering stories from buyers of Sony
BMG CDs protected with XCP. In a statement the
organisation said: "We're considering whether the
effect on the public, or on EFF members, is
sufficiently serious to merit a lawsuit".
At the same time the Italian digital rights group,
Electronic Frontiers Italy, has asked the nation's
government to investigate Sony over its use of
anti-piracy software.
A weblog documenting the unfolding controversy and
calling for a boycott of Sony products has also been
created.
When contacted a representative for Sony BMG in the UK
referred all calls to its corporate headquarters in
New York. A call to a spokesman in that office has yet
to be returned.
Artist list
The EFF also released a partial list of all the CDs
protected with XCP. The list includes popular artists
such as Natasha Bedingfield, Celine Dion and Amerie.
It also gave advice for ways to spot if a CD is XCP
protected.
So far Sony BMG has not released a list of how many
CDs are protected or how many have been sold. It has
only said that "about 20" titles are protected with
the controversial program.
However, the row does not appear to be denting
interest in one of the CDs protected by XCP because at
the time of writing Neil Diamond's 12 Songs album was
the top seller on the Amazon.com website.
Anti-virus companies are starting to release software
that can spot the XCP files. Symantec said it had made
tools that can find the files but will not remove
them.
Computer Associates said that it would be releasing a
tool to completely uninstall the XCP program.
At the same time anti-virus firm Kaspersky Labs
branded the XCP program spyware because it hides
itself, could compromise security and can slow
machines down.
Mr Russinovich has continued his investigation of the
XCP software and has confirmed that when installed it
can make a Windows computer more unreliable.
He also criticised Sony BMG for making it difficult to
get hold of software that can uninstall XCP.
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