Sony BMG plops down $4.25 million to settle with 39 states

Well that was quick. After forking over $750k to California on Tuesday to settle charges regarding its nefarious rootkit schemes, Sony BMG has brokered a similar deal with 39 more states in the US and A. Luckily for Sony, it looks like they've improved their per-state cost considerably, at a bargain $4.25 million for all 39 states, with Washington D.C. thrown in there to boot -- it is the holidays after all. Just like with California (and Texas, which settled with Sony on Tuesday as well), Sony BMG will additionally be giving refunds of $175 to consumers who file a claim that the rootkit damaged their computer in some way. Also included in the settlement is a pinky swear from Sony that they won't put any more copy protection software on future CDs that can't be easily located and removed from a computer. Sony BMG says it's pleased to reach the agreements. Aww, big hug.

[Wm Novak @ Feb 24th 2009 8:53AM]

We just had to plunk down over $400.00 for a new SONY BD 350 because their ARcoos copy protection jammed up on our otherwise excellent SLV300P DVD player. I called SONY seeking any accomodation or voucher- anything because their anti-copying protection upgrade wasn't my fault.
After being shuffled around and on holds for 45 miunutes the customer relations person acted solemn but may as well have laughed when stating SONY has no intention of offering anything to a loyal customer such as myself.
After reading the blogs RE) the other class action law suits is there not an attorney out there willing to continue the action to grant reliefe to those of us who are stuck with DVD players that can't play the SONY dvd's?

[K @ Dec 21st 2006 4:58PM]

750k for CA and 4.25 mill over 39 states isn't even a slap on the hand for Sony. At least they promise not to do it anymore...and we know how good they are at keeping promises.

[Matt Johnson @ Dec 21st 2006 5:32PM]

The cash payment settlement listed in your story is not accurate. What you get is:

(i) a cash payment of $7.50 and one (1) free album download from CONNECT Music, f.y.e., iTunes, or Wal-Mart; or
(ii) three (3) free album downloads from CONNECT Music, f.y.e., iTunes, or Wal-Mart.

[Paula @ Dec 21st 2006 5:41PM]

"Also included in the settlement is a pinky swear from Sony that they won't put any more copy protection software on future CDs that can't be easily located and removed from a computer."

By easily removed, do they mean click a button or reformat your hard disk?

[aws910 @ Dec 21st 2006 6:27PM]

It's be REALLY nice if they promised to stop trying to force their proprietary formats on us.

[netposer @ Dec 21st 2006 7:30PM]

WTF? Why isn't someone at Sony going to jail? If any engadget readers sold a music cd or software that installed a root kit to spy on users (and later was exploited by other hackers), they would have been prosecuted with jail time and/or probation.

And seriously how is forking over just under $5 million going to hurt Sony?

[Philip @ Dec 21st 2006 8:05PM]

Sony got off way too easily.

[Arno @ Dec 21st 2006 9:01PM]

Yup, way too easy. Add 100 million to that number and we'll call it even, Sony.

[JD @ Dec 22nd 2006 8:50PM]

"...US and A."

Nice Borat reference, I like it.