Sony CD burgled? Delete all your music
Spyware is the least of your troubles
By Nick Farrell: Monday 14 November 2005, 06:24
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SONY INSTALLING rootkit spyware to protect its content on CDs might be the least of users' problems.
The recent spyware controversy has got the legal experts at the Electronic Frontier Foundation looking at the 3000 word licence agreement that comes with CDs issued with its XCP "rootkit".
The CDs ship with an end-user licence agreement which implies you don't actually own the CD you have bought. This means that Sony can make certain demands.
These include if your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your laptop when you get home. That's because the EULA says that your rights to any copies terminate as soon as you no longer possess the original CD. Of course you may not possess your computer either, but that could be your responsibily too.
You cannot copy music on your work computer, or one used for work in a home office, because the EULA only gives you the right to put copies on a "personal home computer system owned by you."
If you move out of the country, you have to delete all your music because you are not allowed to export the music outside the country where you reside.
If you don't install any updates you will be breaking the EULA and Sony-BMG can install and use backdoors in the copy protection software or media player to "enforce their rights" against you, at any time, without notice.
However the company disclaims any liability if this "self help" crashes your computer, exposes you to security risks, or any other harm.
In fact no matter what its software does to you, all Sony will only give you is five American dollars. They will not even refund you the cost of your CD.
More bizaare EULA rules here.
Spyware is the least of your troubles
By Nick Farrell: Monday 14 November 2005, 06:24
<script> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://servedby.netshelter.net/click/e/redirect/.Yz1DSVRRNDA1RzJNT0NUMkpBTjMwMCZwaWQ9VEhFSU5RVUlSRVImYj0xJmlkPTc1MTU3NTQzMzg3 /http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/42309?mpt=73252518"> <img src="http://altfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/bn/42309?mpt=73252518" alt="Click this Mojo Ad" border="0"> </a> </noscript>
SONY INSTALLING rootkit spyware to protect its content on CDs might be the least of users' problems.
The recent spyware controversy has got the legal experts at the Electronic Frontier Foundation looking at the 3000 word licence agreement that comes with CDs issued with its XCP "rootkit".
The CDs ship with an end-user licence agreement which implies you don't actually own the CD you have bought. This means that Sony can make certain demands.
These include if your house gets burgled, you have to delete all your music from your laptop when you get home. That's because the EULA says that your rights to any copies terminate as soon as you no longer possess the original CD. Of course you may not possess your computer either, but that could be your responsibily too.
You cannot copy music on your work computer, or one used for work in a home office, because the EULA only gives you the right to put copies on a "personal home computer system owned by you."
If you move out of the country, you have to delete all your music because you are not allowed to export the music outside the country where you reside.
If you don't install any updates you will be breaking the EULA and Sony-BMG can install and use backdoors in the copy protection software or media player to "enforce their rights" against you, at any time, without notice.
However the company disclaims any liability if this "self help" crashes your computer, exposes you to security risks, or any other harm.
In fact no matter what its software does to you, all Sony will only give you is five American dollars. They will not even refund you the cost of your CD.
More bizaare EULA rules here.
