Sony BMG's Blunder

2005-11-11

Shame on Sony BMG for the ridiculous recent deployment of First 4 Internet’s lame copy protection software on their CDs. The media, music fans, and technologists are calling them on the carpet, and so they should.

Without getting into the technical aspects of what they’re doing, suffice to say that Sony BMG placed a small application on each CD that was installed at the heart of the user’s computer, undetectable, but there nonetheless ready to monitor usage. Additionally, this rootkit application (as it’s called), which is extremely difficult to uninstall and can only be done so by visiting a Sony BMG website and filling out a customer service form to receive proper instructions, also makes the user’s computer susceptible to potentially lethal viruses.

I understand the reasons behind copy protection, and as an employee of one of the big four major labels, I’m constantly in the tough position of having to see things from both the side of a music fan and a content owner.

What Sony BMG did is punish those who actually go out and spend hard earned money on the company’s CDs. Their attempt to preemptively mitigate future issues with a pair of handcuffs and a watchful eye has earned them nothing but a public chorus of boos.

I can only hope that all artists whose CDs employed this software had their arms twisted until they cried uncle to have this copy protection placed on their CDs. What Sony BMG fails to realize is that this reflects poorly on the artists too, not just on the evil corporate parent.

I have no sympathy for people who are massively stealing music and making it available to others free of charge, but music companies have to realize that there are limits to what should be done regarding copy protection. Sony BMG crossed the line.