Is Sony encouraging illegal file sharing?

[scottyz]

Recently Sony has been caught red handed sticking its own set of hacking and monitoring tools on customers computers via legally purchased Sony BMG cd's. The rootkit is installed secretly and without permission. Apparently Sony's rootkit is not only hard to remove, but can also potentinally ruin hardware and creates vunerablities that ordinary hackers can take advantage of. Sony is facing legal action on multiple fronts now.

Will secretly installing hacking tools on customers computers a good way to convince them to buy your cds? What's the point of legally buying the cd if you're going to be treated like a criminal anyways... I think this behavior will only encourage illegal file sharing as it is safer than getting rootkit installed on your machine.

 

[jamesrage]

Recently Sony has been caught red handed sticking its own set of hacking and monitoring tools on customers computers via legally purchased Sony BMG cd's. The rootkit is installed secretly and without permission. Apparently Sony's rootkit is not only hard to remove, but can also potentinally ruin hardware and creates vunerablities that ordinary hackers can take advantage of. Sony is facing legal action on multiple fronts now.

Will secretly installing hacking tools on customers computers a good way to convince them to buy your cds? What's the point of legally buying the cd if you're going to be treated like a criminal anyways... I think this behavior will only encourage illegal file sharing as it is safer than getting rootkit installed on your machine.

I understand Sony's position on trying to keep thier music from being copied and distributed to every one and their mom.Sony is a huge electronics company.Surely with all the computer technology they make they could make cd bruners that will not allow their music to be copied.or burned.What is really sad though is that the majority of music that is being "illegally download" is the same crap that is played a hundred times a day on the radio

 

[scottyz]

I understand Sony's position on trying to keep thier music from being copied and distributed to every one and their mom.Sony is a huge electronics company.Surely with all the computer technology they make they could make cd bruners that will not allow their music to be copied.or burned.What is really sad though is that the majority of music that is being "illegally download" is the same crap that is played a hundred times a day on the radio

This is punishing cd buyers, not illegal downloaders. I'm betting the majority of them want to A. download songs from the cd to their Ipod B. Play the songs on their computer or C. rips songs to burn on mix cds. I doubt they wanted secretly installed hacking tools on their computers.

 

[stsburns]

Recently Sony has been caught red handed sticking its own set of hacking and monitoring tools on customers computers via legally purchased Sony BMG cd's. The rootkit is installed secretly and without permission. Apparently Sony's rootkit is not only hard to remove, but can also potentinally ruin hardware and creates vunerablities that ordinary hackers can take advantage of. Sony is facing legal action on multiple fronts now.

Will secretly installing hacking tools on customers computers a good way to convince them to buy your cds? What's the point of legally buying the cd if you're going to be treated like a criminal anyways... I think this behavior will only encourage illegal file sharing as it is safer than getting rootkit installed on your machine.

For every fix, there's a hack. For every hack, there's a fix.

Though it is astonishing to me how they can have a music empire and one of the major companies of RIAA (Record Industry Association America), but yet in there electronics arena they sell CD-Burners and DVD-Burners and think people aren't going to use them? Now I will have to admit Sony has done the best anti-hacking technology on the Sony Playstation 2 system, but the technology can still can be overridden with a $20 chip. But the system alone will not except any copied DVD's, nor copies of the systems games, which I think is a step in the right direction. But bahumbug to them if I ever buy a mod chip. :mrgreen:

Also I read in my PC World that the rootkit software can be removed with Microsoft Anti-Spyware, Use one evil companies against another evil companies software! :mrgreen:

 

[Engimo]

The entirety of the RIAA is encouraging illegal file sharing by alienating its consumer base through overpriced CDs and filing lawsuits against them. Putting out vast quantities of shitty music adds to it as well.

 

[SHodges]

Go after the guys selling the pirated copies as the real thing first, and stay the heck off my PC.

 

[Blind man]

Haven't bought a CD since 98 as a result of all this bull^%it and if they had straightened up their act back then they probably could have saved a customer, but now, im used to it. One customer down the drain.

(and I dont download music either, if it's not on my XM, i don't listen.