AfterDawn: News

Judge Grants Final Approval for Sony BMG CD Settlement

A New York judge has granted final approval to a settlement for music fans who purchased audio CDs from Sony BMG that contained harmful Digital Rights Management (DRM) software. The DRM software included on these CDs were First4Internet's XCP and SunnComm's MediaMax. "This settlement gets music fans what they thought they were buying in the first place: music that will play on all their electronic devices without installing sneaky software," said Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Legal Director Cindy Cohn.

As well as getting the music you purchased without the harmful DRM software included, some people are also entitled to additional downloads or a small cash settlement. "Participating in the settlement is a way to show Sony BMG -- and the entire entertainment industry -- how important this issue is to you," said Cohn. "If you take the time to claim the product you deserve, maybe other music labels will think twice before wrapping songs in DRM."



Security researchers discovered the dangers of the DRM being used on these CDs last year. Both installed undisclosed and sometimes hidden files on a user's PC exposing them to attack by third parties. The infected CDs also communicated back to Sony BMG about customers' computer use without proper notification. In addition to compensating consumers, Sony BMG was forced to stop manufacturing CDs with both First4Internet XCP and SunnComm MediaMax software. The settlement also waives several restrictive end user license agreement (EULA) terms and commits Sony BMG to a detailed security review process prior to including any DRM on future CDs.

Anyone who bought one of the affected CDs should start the claims process at http://www.eff.org/sony

Source:
Electronic Frontier Foundation

Written by: James Delahunty @ 24 May 2006 18:35

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• 3 comments

• gogochar

  I'm damn glad I got SlySoft's AnyDVD when I did. Boy this little goldmine is the shi*! It protects me from any DRM that people shoot my way. A notice to the RIAA: I now know C++ and I'm not afraid to use it, share it and abuse it!

  24.5.2006 19:00 #1

• jmaestro

  What about punative damages? What the hell? This is a joke!
  
  From wiki:
  "Generally, punitive damages, which are termed exemplary damages in the United Kingdom, are not awarded in order to compensate the plaintiff, but in order to reform or deter the defendant and similar persons from pursuing a course of action such as that which damaged the plaintiff. Punitive damages are awarded only in special cases where conduct was egregiously invidious, and are over and above the amount of compensatory damages. Great judicial restraint is expected to be exercised in their application. In the United States punitive damages awards are subject to the limitations imposed by the due process of law clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution."

  25.5.2006 02:00 #2

• hot_ice

  Any positive breakthrough, is always something good to start off with...
  
  However, I checked what you can actually claim, 7.50$, a new cd without the hazardous copy protection, and 3 downloads, from what I can remember reading.
  
  Not bad, it's a start.

  25.5.2006 06:26 #3