Sony BMG settles rootkit case in California for $750k

This one took a bit longer, but it looks like Sony is still wrapping up these rootkit lawsuits, and this here's another one decided in favor of the consumers. Sony BMG has just settled with attorneys general of LA and California for the low low price of $750,000 -- with the suit claiming that Sony's inclusions of lame-o DRM software opened up computers to potential hackers. Sony will also provide refunds up to $175 to any consumer that can prove the rootkit damaged their computer in some way, according to a part of the settlement that is still awaiting judge approval. It wasn't all doom and gloom though, since LA's Tom Papageorge, a head deputy district attorney, says that "To their credit, they did stop the practice as soon as we brought it to their attention," but unfortunately he continued on to mention that "The FTC and a group of other states are looking at this as well and will file similar agreements." So it's not all over for Sony yet. And here we were hoping for a Sony-free year of lawsuits and general consumer neglect in 2007 -- how about we give '08 a shot?

[tekdroid @ Dec 19th 2006 8:41PM]

A drop in the ocean for the company. Let's hope they get more than this virtual slap on the wrist.

[John Doe @ Dec 19th 2006 10:36PM]

Weak. This has all the ear markings of a wink, wink nudge, nudge ruling. Oh boo hoo someone lost a few cars from their private collection.

[Nate @ Dec 19th 2006 10:53PM]

I know this issue is old, but it still makes my blood boil. What Sony BMG did is immoral, illegal, and unacceptable. Whoever is responsible should be prosecuted as a criminal, not made to pay a measly $750k. It should at least be $750 billion.

[Sinbios @ Dec 20th 2006 12:34AM]

It sounds like your issue with them isn't that they weren't prosecuted properly, rather that they didn't pay enough. Also, I don't think you comprehend how much 750 billion IS.

[James @ Dec 19th 2006 11:20PM]

I assume that last (awkwardly-worded) sentence means you guys *didn't* want to see any more lawsuits brought against Sony -- are you kidding? I hope everybody and their grandma sues their asses. I hope they *bleed*. I hope this winds up costing more than the battery recall -- at least with the batteries, there doesn't seem to be an indication that they knew there was a problem with them when they shipped, though they were slow to recall them. With the rootkit horse shit, somebody should have known from the word go that it was a terrible idea -- their DRM met any good definition of the word "virus", yet they shipped millions of units.