[mythtv-users] Another step towards what I'd predicted

[Steve Smith]

On 09/01/2008, Tom Dexter <digitalaudiorock at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Jan 9, 2008 4:37 AM, Steve Smith <st3v3.sm1th at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > >
> > > "In place of DRM software, the music will be "anonymously watermarked"
> > > in an attempt to help the label learn whether songs are being shared
> on
> > > peer-to-peer networks."
> > >
> >
> http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Sony-softens-stance-on-DRM/0,139023166,339284900,00.htm
> > >
> > > So while they may have removed the DRM from a couple of CDs, they
> still
> > > assume their customers are all criminals.
> > >
> > > I guess we couldn't expect much else from Sony.
> > >
> > > Dean.
> > >
> > >
> >  7
> >
> > Regarding the watermark, I can sympathise with Sony on this one.
> > After all what I suppose most people want is the freedom to move the
> tracks
> > between their own devices, a "fair use". If you then put the track onto
> a
> > peer to peer network that's a bit unfair to Sony really so for them to
> be
> > able to track this, is fair I suppose. Fair has to run both ways... at
> the
> > moment of course Sony gets all the fair.
> >
>
> I have to disagree whole-heartedly with you there. Think about it:
>
> It's never legal to put a copyrighted song on peer to peer, watermark
> or not.  If they want to go after someone for it, use the DMCA and get
> the persons id from the ISP.  Are we supposed to trust their watermark
> as enough evidence to sue someone for hundreds of thousands of
> dollars?  That would sure put a lot of power in the hands of Sony's IT
> people if you ask me.
>
> I'd also like to know the exact nature of the watermark.  I'm sure
> they didn't put it somewhere easy to change like the ID3 tags, so
> where/what exactly is it, and is there a potential for it to affect
> quality or playback in any deviced?  My guess is that they just don't
> give a shit, just like they don't care that some DVD players
> (including some of their own) choke on their DVD copy protection.
>
> I suppose it's all a moot point though...that whole scheme of making
> people buy something at a brick and mortar store in order to download
> something online may be one of the most comical things I've even
> heard.  That one's sure to crash and burn.
>
> Tom
> _______________________________________________
> mythtv-users mailing list
> mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>

>It's never legal to put a copyrighted song on peer to peer, watermark
>or not.  If they want to go after someone for it, use the DMCA and get
>the persons id from the ISP.  Are we supposed to trust their watermark
>as enough evidence to sue someone for hundreds of thousands of
>dollars?  That would sure put a lot of power in the hands of Sony's IT
>people if you ask me.

Well getting the evidence from the ISP can be quite a time consuming
process, if they have the watermark then they'll have a quick start.
However, as it's computer generated most courts would treat it as "hearsay"
(if I remember my CISSP Law  & Ethics correctly), so they'd then have to
go at it with ISP etc evidence, at some point I'd expect they'd have to get
hold of images of your computer. The watermark would be a leg up.

I'd expect the watermark itself will be somehow interleaved in the stream
itself by changing a bit here and there, I wouldn't expect it'd be
noticeable if done correctly. On the other hand Sony did do that root kit
business...... ;-) Personally I'm not in favour of it but I can see why...

As for the scheme.... it reminds me of an ex-boss of my girlfriend's who
insisted that all his emails were printed out and put on his desk, from
where he'd do written replies! It's just plain stupid.

Cheers

Steve
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mythtv.org/pipermail/mythtv-users/attachments/20080109/fc3a1093/attachment.htm