Texas Sues Sony Over Alleged CD Spyware

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Texas Sues Sony Over Alleged CD Spyware

Texas is suing Sony BMG Music Entertainment, alleging the company illegally installed spyware on millions of music CDs that Attorney General Greg Abbott says can make computers “vulnerable to computer viruses and other forms of attack.”

Abbott said the spyware installs files onto the computers on which the CDs are played.

"Sony has engaged in a technological version of cloak and dagger deceit against consumers by hiding secret files on their computers," Abbott said.

"Consumers who purchased a Sony CD thought they were buying music. Instead, they received spyware that can damage a computer, subject it to viruses and expose the consumer to possible identity crime,” he said.

The lawsuit alleges the company violated a new Texas law protecting consumers from hidden spyware.

Click Here To Read The Lawsuit

Sony says on its Web site that it has recalled all the affected CDs, but Abbott said investigators were able to buy a number of titles at retail stores in Austin as recently as Sunday evening.

Click Here For Sony BMG Web Site

Abbott says the CDs contain embedded copy protection files or XCP technology, which prompts consumers to enter into a user agreement to install a Sony audio player.

Consumers who agree to the terms, however, aren’t aware that files are secretly installed, Abbott said.

Sony says it has instituted an exchange program for consumers who purchased the affected CDs and says the issue involving the CDs arises only when the discs are played on computers.

“We share the concerns of consumers regarding these discs, and we are instituting a mail-in program that will allow consumers to exchange any CD with XCP software for the same CD without copy protection and receive MP3 files of the same title,” the company said.

“We also have asked our retail partners to remove all unsold CDs with XCP software from their store shelves and inventory.”

Click Here For Exchange Program Details

Click Here For Software Update From Sony

The Attorney General, meanwhile, has posted a complaint form online for consumers who have purchased the CDs.

Click Here For Online Complaint Form​

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

You would think Sony would learn from it's past.

Now I do not know if this is true or not but when I was in the army in the late 80's - early 90's the Army base PX's (post exchange..kind of like the military's version of walmart for those that don't know) would not sell Sony Products.

I had been told that Sony refused to do something or were guilty of trying to do something that the military said was not in the best interest of our country.

Wish I could remember how the story went.

Either way it seems as if they are a little shady to say the least.

 

[Reed]

more motive to buy an american product, go out there and try to get your hands on microsofts xbox360 rather than japans and sonys ps3, the xbox360 is supposed to take over the video game market anyways, the 360 will be 250 dollars in the spring when ps3 debus and the ps3 will be 500, also microsoft is releasing halo3 at the exzact same time to counters sony release, sony is screwed, also sony is losing billions in the first year due to how much it costs them to produce the ps3, blu-ray drive cost 60 bucks and the cell proccessor is 150 for each unit, thats only 2 components of a machine that requires around a thousand parts, you do the math. I only know all of this because i did an industry analysis of the video game industry for management major

 

[GTaylor]

David Manning (Fake Critic)
Payola (What was worse than paying the radio stations was paying females to call in and "pretend" to be heading to a club or a concert and were wanting to jam on a certain song. Geez, talk about a lack of respect towards your audience).

And now the rootkit, as far as I'm concerned it's strike 3 to Sony. However my question is where were the anti-virus companies in this? Rootkits are nothing new, and to wait almost 2 weeks after this has been exposed to counter?? Something doesn't look right...almost makes you wonder if they knew all along but chose to look away.

 

[JakeCamp12]

I was very pleased to see Sony get nailed for this. I bought the new Velvet Revolver cd awhile back. When I got home, I wanted to rip it to my MP3 player and after I put the CD in the PC, all of this software tried to load. I turned the CD over and there was a warning saying it was protected, and you had to use Windows Media Player, blah, blah, blah. I ejected the CD and returned it to Sam Goody. They gave me store credit. I will never buy a CD again that can not be ripped to my MP3 player. I hope the entire music industry crumbles at some point so that these two faced liars have to go out and get a real job...