Submitted by Millions of music fans will be given free music downloads or money to compensate for flawed anti-piracy software on CDs from label Sony BMG. The final approval to the settlement for lawsuits against the music giant was granted by a US judge on Monday. Sony BMG was accused of using copy protection program on CDs that left computers vulnerable to hackers. The episode caused much embarrassment for the world’s second largest music label.
Wow, FREE music downloads. Can’t get that anywhere else on the net.
Thanks Sony!
“In a statement, Sony BMG, said it was pleased with the settlement.”
I can understand that. Not only this costs almost nothing to sony, but this amounts to an advertising campaign. Very good for them!
What I can’t understand is that a judge can be stupid enough to grant approval to such a settlement.
Reminds me of another US judge who approved a settlement in a microsoft lawsuit whereby the company would have to grant a certain number of free ms-office licenses.
No details on the actual downloads though.
Will they be at CD quality? – doubt it
Will they be DRM free? – doubt it!
With this ill-planned attempt to fight piracy to make an extra buck, all Sony did was
1) Embarrass itself
2) Demonstrated to people that downloading music for free is not only cheaper but also actually SAFER
3) Lost money
The terms of the settlement should have been:
You get to install a rootkit on one of Sony’s computers for every infected CD you bought.
Ooooh, I like that thought
I think Sony got off rather lightly, especially when you consider the potential penalties for people who spread viruses or crack security.
I fail to see how Sony’s rootkit is any different to other malware. If anything I think it’s more worrying when a large company thinks they can get away with this kind of thing, than when some loner writes a virus to amuse himself.
It would have been nice to see them get more than a slap on the wrist, it’s not like giving away some free downloads (that are almost certainly low quality and DRM crippled) really costs Sony anything. Replacement CDs and a $7.50 payment are nothing to a company like Sony, I can see why they were so happy with the settlement.
I just hope that this brings Sony, and the use of invasive DRM software in general, some well deserved bad publicity among the general public.
Where can I download them from?
If an individual had written such malicious software for releasing it to general public then had been caught, then it’s pretty sure he would have taken a few years behind the bars. But it’s Sony, so they get a slap on the hand.
At the very least, they should have been required to offer free album downloads from their competitors. Otherwise, they are required to give something that is pratically free for them.
This is totally pointless. I don’t want a token offering of free music. I want them to see the light and change their approach to dealing with digital distibution. (And hence DRM)
I will gladly pay Sony a reasonable sum for decent music, but not when it means I get hosed in the process.