Sony Settles Suit Over CDs

[HardOCP News]

Sony BMG is settling a lawsuit brought by the state of California by paying damages to consumers (up to $175 per person). Sony will also paying $750,000 in panalties and fees to settle the case that accused the company of using false advertising, unfair competition and unlawful computer intrusion.

The agreement between Sony BMG and the attorneys general of Los Angeles County and the state of California settles a lawsuit charging that the company secretly embedded digital rights management software on CDs that potentially opened the door to hackers.

 

[whrswoldo]

Justice has been served, although I doubt this is the end of the fallout from this particular blunder.

It amazes me how much a company like Sony can screw up and yet stay in business. I've personally decided not to buy from Sony until they show some signs of caring for the consumer.

I find it somewhat ironic that they embedded their CDs with rootkitting DRM software in order to prevent unauthorized copying (which supposedly costs them money) although they consequently ended up having to pay a $750000 fine plus up to $175 to each of the people that actually paid for their CDs. And then there's all of the bad press they've gathered, which you can't really even put a price on. I wonder how much money and public opinion they could have saved by *doing nothing*.

 

[Diznario]

This is great news. Hopefully the big media companies will learn something from this fiasco.

Mad props to Russinovich for exposing this issue.