Sony rootkit music off the Ann Arbor District Library's purchase list

I reported the uproar over Sony's ill-considered decision to put rootkit software as copy-protection on some of its music CDs to the Ann Arbor District Library, my main source for borrowing music these days. I got this reply in return from Eli Neiburger. (Did I mention that I love my library?)

I've passed word on to our selectors not to buy any Sony/BMG copy-protected CDs for the forseeable future. Not only is this reprehensible, but we could get into some support nightmares if people try to remove the rootkit since it's gotten so much press.

Talk to your own local library and tell them about the problem and the headaches they are liable to if their patrons check out a music CD that damages their computer!

Some links:
- Sony sued over copy-protected CDs (BBC)
- The rootkit of all evil? (BBC)
- EFF confirms secret software on 19 CDs (Electronic Frontier Foundation)

UPDATE:
- Sony Rootkit Roundup (Boing Boing)

Technorati Tags: aadl, libraries, library, music, rootkit, sony

Comments

[steve koppelman]

Obviously a sensible move for libraries to make, but Sony would view this as a victory. The big entertainment companies tried to stop libraries from lending CDs for years and gave up only when the courts came down firmly on the side of libraries and individuals.

Sony's botched DRM causes so much damage to PCs that it's only right that libraries keep CDs with it out of their collections, and really, libraries should probably restrict lending of any digital media that installs hard-to-remove DRM software on PCs.

The problem, of course, is that as much of a nightmare Sony has made for itself, they've now been presented with a way to achieve that old goal of stopping libraries from lending music and movies. Obviously they're not going to continue silently installing rootkits that trash PCs, but they may try to find something to install that's alarming enough to libraries and annoying enough to library patrons to trigger similar embargoes, but acceptable to individual CD buyers.

[Daryl]

Even worse for the library than lending one of these CD's, suppose I pick up an offending disc off the library shelf walk a few feet and insert it into a library computer!

[Tom]

You make a good point, Steve, but I don't think it's inevitable that library patrons will run out and buy Sony CDs because the library won't stock them. Suppose that the library put up a sign in their CD section stating why they won't purchase or lend Sony CDs in non-technical language? Will library patrons then run out and pay for the privilege of corrupting their home PC because they can't do it for free?

That's not to say that Sony didn't have libraries in mind when they came up with their DRM scheme, but then again, their behavior has been staggeringly stupid and self-defeating in this matter.