Post by LS on Dec 6, 2005 13:54:55 GMT -5
Sony XCP Bomb Sparks Rage
Artists, managers, fans angered by copy-protection software snafu
Sony BMG's war against music piracy backfired in spectacular fashion, as consumer fury over intrusive copy-protection software on the company's CDs has led to lawsuits alleging that the discs damaged users' computers and violated their privacy. The attorney general of Texas and consumer-advocacy group the Electronic Frontier Foundation each filed suits on November 21st; the EFF's complaint accuses Sony BMG of creating "serious security, privacy and consumer-protection problems," while the Texas suit invokes a state anti-spyware law to demand as much as $100,000 for each CD used in the state.
"This is a complete fiasco that will impact the entire industry," says Patrick Jordan, a manager for Trey Anastasio, whose CD was affected. "We're offended at this inexcusable blunder on the labels' part."
Consumer pressure caused the company to recall all copies of fifty-two discs (including Neil Diamond's 12 Songs and Anastasio's Shine) that use a copy-protection system called XCP, which installs hidden, hard-to-uninstall software (known as a "rootkit") deep inside users' Windows operating systems. XCP is part of an effort to combat not only online file-sharing but a threat record labels believe is even larger: fans burning multiple copies of CDs for friends.
The software creates security holes and, according to the EFF, "degrades the performance" of computers. Sony BMG is offering to exchange the 2.1 million discs already sold for new ones without copy protection. "We share the concerns of music fans," says Thomas Hesse, Sony BMG's president of global digital business. "We are deeply committed to addressing those concerns and getting this right." Sony also posted a software patch meant to close security holes (see cp.sonybmg.com/xcp).
The controversy has left some fans baffled. "They don't know which CDs are Sony -- they just heard that CDs ruin their computers," says Rob Roth, owner of Vintage Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey. "It hurts sales."
The recalled CDs were unavailable as the crucial holiday shopping season began. "I was crying last week," says the manager of a veteran artist, who asked for anonymity. "It was a disaster for us." Darryl Pitt, manager of jazz-rock trio the Bad Plus (whose new disc, Suspicious Activity?, carried XCP), received numerous angry e-mails. "Fans feel betrayed by the band," he says. "This is a colossal folly on the part of Sony."
The EFF's lawsuit also asks Sony BMG to stop using another copy-protection scheme, SunnComm's MediaMax, which is included on many more CDs than XCP: 20 million discs to XCP's 5 million. The suit alleges that MediaMax -- used on the Foo Fighters' In Your Honor and Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up, among other titles -- places software on users' computers even if they decline installation. Sony has denied that MediaMax poses any problems.
The furor will likely have wider implications for the music industry's copy-protection efforts, which had already faced criticism for incompatibility with iPods. "This whole debacle has set back the cause of copy-protection software pretty significantly," says EFF staff attorney Corynne McSherry. "Consumers are going to be very wary now."
BRIAN HIATT
(Nov 28, 2005)
Artists, managers, fans angered by copy-protection software snafu
Sony BMG's war against music piracy backfired in spectacular fashion, as consumer fury over intrusive copy-protection software on the company's CDs has led to lawsuits alleging that the discs damaged users' computers and violated their privacy. The attorney general of Texas and consumer-advocacy group the Electronic Frontier Foundation each filed suits on November 21st; the EFF's complaint accuses Sony BMG of creating "serious security, privacy and consumer-protection problems," while the Texas suit invokes a state anti-spyware law to demand as much as $100,000 for each CD used in the state.
"This is a complete fiasco that will impact the entire industry," says Patrick Jordan, a manager for Trey Anastasio, whose CD was affected. "We're offended at this inexcusable blunder on the labels' part."
Consumer pressure caused the company to recall all copies of fifty-two discs (including Neil Diamond's 12 Songs and Anastasio's Shine) that use a copy-protection system called XCP, which installs hidden, hard-to-uninstall software (known as a "rootkit") deep inside users' Windows operating systems. XCP is part of an effort to combat not only online file-sharing but a threat record labels believe is even larger: fans burning multiple copies of CDs for friends.
The software creates security holes and, according to the EFF, "degrades the performance" of computers. Sony BMG is offering to exchange the 2.1 million discs already sold for new ones without copy protection. "We share the concerns of music fans," says Thomas Hesse, Sony BMG's president of global digital business. "We are deeply committed to addressing those concerns and getting this right." Sony also posted a software patch meant to close security holes (see cp.sonybmg.com/xcp).
The controversy has left some fans baffled. "They don't know which CDs are Sony -- they just heard that CDs ruin their computers," says Rob Roth, owner of Vintage Vinyl in Fords, New Jersey. "It hurts sales."
The recalled CDs were unavailable as the crucial holiday shopping season began. "I was crying last week," says the manager of a veteran artist, who asked for anonymity. "It was a disaster for us." Darryl Pitt, manager of jazz-rock trio the Bad Plus (whose new disc, Suspicious Activity?, carried XCP), received numerous angry e-mails. "Fans feel betrayed by the band," he says. "This is a colossal folly on the part of Sony."
The EFF's lawsuit also asks Sony BMG to stop using another copy-protection scheme, SunnComm's MediaMax, which is included on many more CDs than XCP: 20 million discs to XCP's 5 million. The suit alleges that MediaMax -- used on the Foo Fighters' In Your Honor and Dave Matthews Band's Stand Up, among other titles -- places software on users' computers even if they decline installation. Sony has denied that MediaMax poses any problems.
The furor will likely have wider implications for the music industry's copy-protection efforts, which had already faced criticism for incompatibility with iPods. "This whole debacle has set back the cause of copy-protection software pretty significantly," says EFF staff attorney Corynne McSherry. "Consumers are going to be very wary now."
BRIAN HIATT
(Nov 28, 2005)