Sony sucks (for now)

Sony Music caught a lot of flak this week when a programmer discovered that some of its CDs were responsible for installing a program called a rootkit on his computer. Basically, a rootkit is a form of spyware designed specifically to be invisible to antivirus and anti-spyware detection programs. The software was designed to prevent the unauthorized copying of the disc or ripping the music off the CD onto the computer’s hard drive. It is a form of anti-copying protection.

This was a big story in the tech world and the music world for a lot of reasons:

• the rootkit software was installed without the knowledge of the consumer (which is against the law in California and possibly several other states)
• removing the rootkit causes damage to your computer and may be against the law (violation of the the DMCA, which says that “circumventing” copy protection schemes is illegal)
• it treats consumers like criminals who are assumed to be violating the terms of fair use, even when they are not doing so by doing many of the things the software prevents, i.e. copying the songs their computer or to a digital music player like the iPod

I duly wrote a letter to Sony

> I would like you to know that I am strongly opposed to Sony’s use of anti-copying technology on it’s music releases. Especially offensive is Sony’s use of rootkits to hide the copy protection software.

> Consumers own the discs after purchase, not Sony. There are fair use rights that accompany that purchase and Sony has exhibited a complete disregard for those rights and by extension a disregard for it’s customers. Sony treats the people who support it as if they should be forever beholden to a corporation just to listen to some music.

> Sony Music is not in danger of going out of business or even losing any large numbers of sales from people using their CDs in a legitimate way. Those who are pirating music on a large scale will always find a way around protection schemes. You only end up making it harder, and in this case dangerous, for consumers to enjoy the products they have purchased.

> How can you expect consumers to continue to purchase from you when you treat them like criminals? It is disgraceful.

> Until you end this ridiculous practice of copy protecting CDs you will receive no business from me and I will encourage my friends and family and anyone else who will listen to boycott your products as well.

So I do encourage everyone not to purchase music from Sony or it’s labels until they end this insane, controlling business practice.