SonyBMG vs Consumer

hoffentlich ist das nicht nur pr-spin.

The row began in November when software developer Mark Russinovich discovered that Sony BMG's XCP anti-piracy programs used virus-like techniques to hide itself on a PC.

The row ended with Sony recalling all the CDs that use XCP and offering to swap customers' existing discs for ones that do not use the much-criticised software.

Speaking to the BBC News website, Thomas Hesse, president of Sony BMG's global digital business, said all the bad publicity had made it think hard about its approach to stopping people making illegal copies.

'The key point to remember is that copyright infringement is a huge issue for the recording industry as a whole and that's where we came from originally,' he said.

'But this whole story has led us to look at the approach we have to take going forward,' Mr Hesse said.

The furore about the XCP software had lead Sony BMG to 'diligently re-evaluate' how it protects music on CDs.

He said it was too early to say where Sony was in the evaluation process or what might result, but he said the company was taking the re-examination very seriously. (BBC NEWS)