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Sony Piracy PlayStation (Games) Games Your Rights Online

Sony Lawyers Expand Dragnet, Targeting Anybody Posting PS3 Hack 437

markass530 writes with this excerpt from Wired: "Sony is threatening to sue anybody posting or 'distributing' the first full-fledged jailbreak code for the 4-year-old PlayStation 3 gaming console. What's more, the company is demanding that a federal judge order Google to surrender the IP addresses and other identifying information (PDF) of those who have viewed or commented about the jailbreak video on a private YouTube page. The game maker is also demanding that Twitter provide the identities of a host of hackers who first unveiled a limited version of the hack in December."
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Sony Lawyers Expand Dragnet, Targeting Anybody Posting PS3 Hack

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  • by HungryHobo ( 1314109 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:18AM (#35136536)

    erk: C0 CE FE 84 C2 27 F7 5B D0 7A 7E B8 46 50 9F 93 B2 38 E7 70 DA CB 9F F4 A3 88 F8 12 48 2B E2 1B
    riv: 47 EE 74 54 E4 77 4C C9 B8 96 0C 7B 59 F4 C1 4D
    pub: C2 D4 AA F3 19 35 50 19 AF 99 D4 4E 2B 58 CA 29 25 2C 89 12 3D 11 D6 21 8F 40 B1 38 CA B2 9B 71 01 F3 AE B7 2A 97 50 19
    R: 80 6E 07 8F A1 52 97 90 CE 1A AE 02 BA DD 6F AA A6 AF 74 17
    n: E1 3A 7E BC 3A CC EB 1C B5 6C C8 60 FC AB DB 6A 04 8C 55 E1
    K: BA 90 55 91 68 61 B9 77 ED CB ED 92 00 50 92 F6 6C 7A 3D 8D
    Da: C5 B2 BF A1 A4 13 DD 16 F2 6D 31 C0 F2 ED 47 20 DC FB 06 70

    • by Issarlk ( 1429361 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:23AM (#35136586)
      You b*stard! Now I'm going to get sued!
      • Actually, they're trying to get to those who published the jailbreak video or detailed information on the hack.
    • by abigsmurf ( 919188 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:24AM (#35136594)
      erk: I left my phone at home
      riv: Thames
      pub: The Royal Oak
      R: Me 'arties
      n: o spells no
      K: mart
      Da: da daa da da da daaaa da daa daa daaaaaa
      • by Moryath ( 553296 )

        erk: hidden in a crate labeled "top secret" in a giant government warehouse filled with identical crates.
        riv:Mississippi.
        pub: a place operated by a publican. Not to be confused with a (re)publican, which is a species of brainless human.
        R: harr fiddle de dee, being a pirate is alright with me...
        n: e way you want it, that's the way you need it, any way you want it...
        K: O.
        Da: dweeee da da da Dweee dao!

        • by Moryath ( 553296 )

          Alternate possibilities.

          erk: Ask Noah. Be prepared to scoop a lot of petrified animal shit.
          riv: Colorado.
          pub: Med.
          r: The Dread Pirate Roberts never takes prisoners!
          n: protons 7, electrons 7, add neutrons to taste.
          k: makes a really lousy fake table salt when added to chlorine.
          da: DAAAAAAAAA! [youtube.com]

    • by clang_jangle ( 975789 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:26AM (#35136610) Journal

      erk: C0 CE FE 84 C2 27 F7 5B D0 7A 7E B8 46 50 9F 93 B2 38 E7 70 DA CB 9F F4 A3 88 F8 12 48 2B E2 1B
      riv: 47 EE 74 54 E4 77 4C C9 B8 96 0C 7B 59 F4 C1 4D
      pub: C2 D4 AA F3 19 35 50 19 AF 99 D4 4E 2B 58 CA 29 25 2C 89 12 3D 11 D6 21 8F 40 B1 38 CA B2 9B 71 01 F3 AE B7 2A 97 50 19
      R: 80 6E 07 8F A1 52 97 90 CE 1A AE 02 BA DD 6F AA A6 AF 74 17
      n: E1 3A 7E BC 3A CC EB 1C B5 6C C8 60 FC AB DB 6A 04 8C 55 E1
      K: BA 90 55 91 68 61 B9 77 ED CB ED 92 00 50 92 F6 6C 7A 3D 8D
      Da: C5 B2 BF A1 A4 13 DD 16 F2 6D 31 C0 F2 ED 47 20 DC FB 06 70

      Oh see how irresponsible you are, now it'll be easier than ever to find it with google!

      • by Howard Beale ( 92386 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:56AM (#35136908)

        And Bing will have it in a week thanks to my toolbar!

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Sue American websites to take down material, sue the same sites to identify American 'infringers'. I guess Google will become Doe 25... for "aiding and abetting DMCA terrorists" or some similarly dramatic nonsense. They have plenty of links to...

        http://gitorious.org/ps3free/ps3keys http://gitorious.org/ps3free/ps3publictools

        But just try suing Gitorious in Norway or me wherever (even when I'm unemployed, I might try) I get bandwidth to host a mirror - if a NorCal court tells me to jump, I'll tell them to fu

    • by WrongSizeGlass ( 838941 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:29AM (#35136630)
      I've used my secret decoder to decipher your message. It says "Hello Streisand Effect, Goody Bye Sony".
    • by galaad2 ( 847861 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:42AM (#35136736) Homepage Journal

      direct download link, always contains url of the latest sony firmware:
      http://fus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/list/us/ps3-updatelist.txt [playstation.net]

      currently it points to v3.56
      http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2011_0127_6e070c96e0464e993aaf9deac3660863/PS3UPDAT.PUP [playstation.net]

      this firmware update can be installed without having to have a PlayStation network account or having to agree with the PS Network ToS & User Agreement

      http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20110202220600258 [groklaw.net]

      • Knowingly skipping the User Agreement has never been a loophole that stops it applying. I've forgotten the exact term but if you've knowingly operated under the terms of a contract and the other party has it on reasonable faith that you agreed, it doesn't matter if you signed/agreed it or not.

        I don't have a link to it but I'm pretty sure that Microsoft took someone to court who thought he was immune because he patched out the EULA. He thought wrong.
        • by bored ( 40072 )

          Guess I might as well stop opening the bottoms of the paper sleeves/boxes to avoid breaking the "by breaking this seal you agree to" seals.

    • by sosume ( 680416 )

      mmm
      erk: C0 CE FE 84 C2 27 F7 5B D0 7A 7E B8 46 50 9F 93 B2 38 E7 70 DA CB 9F F4 A3 88 F8 12 48 2B E2 1B
      riv: 47 EE 74 54 E4 77 4C C9 B8 96 0C 7B 59 F4 C1 4D
      pub: C2 D4 AA F3 19 35 50 19 AF 99 D4 4E 2B 58 CA 29 25 2C 89 12 3D 11 D6 21 8F 40 B1 38 CA B2 9B 71 01 F3 AE B7 2A 97 50 19
      R: 80 6E 07 8F A1 52 97 90 CE 1A AE 02 BA DD 6F AA A6 AF 74 17
      n: E1 3A 7E BC 3A CC EB 1C B5 6C C8 60 FC AB DB 6A 04 8C 55 E1
      K: BA 90 55 91 68 61 B9 77 ED CB ED 92 00 50 92 F6 6C 7A 3D 8D
      Da: C5 B2 BF A1 A4 13 DD 16 F2 6D 31 C0 F2 ED 4

    • by TheSHAD0W ( 258774 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @10:31AM (#35137400) Homepage

      That's the key information for the console, not the program to actually jailbreak it.

      Anyone have a link for GeoHot's jailbreak.zip?

    • by Hatta ( 162192 )

      Is that the "full fledged jail break code" mentioned in the article? It's unclear whether they mean the key, or the source code to CFW or whatever.

  • by syntap ( 242090 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:20AM (#35136554)

    I still have mine, sounds like we need someone to post code snippets on the back of a T-Shirt, with "only Sony wants Root" on the front, and the proceeds can go to legal defense.

  • Well... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:20AM (#35136556)

    Well, If we are making outlandish requests... I demand that a federal judge order Sony to turn over a detailed list of all financial transactions for the company and its 150,000+ staff. I just want to make sure that they are not doing anything illegal with their property (their money).

    Fair's fair.

  • by Drakkenmensch ( 1255800 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:21AM (#35136562)
    Sony is going to run into a full Streisand Effect backlash with this new attempt to expunge the net of any trace of the very mention of this hack existing. And what is it about asking for the IP address of those who VIEWED it? Are they planning to go the RIAA route and send blackmail letters to those people, threatening to sue them for millions unless they pay several thousands of dollars?
    • by noc007 ( 633443 )

      I wonder what they actually hope to accomplish/gain with this. I agree, Streisand Effect will be going into full force.

      Personally, I think I'm done with Sony products. After the rootkit installing CDs and there other antics with the PS3, I don't feel like they actually want to keep me as a customer.

      • It took you this long to decide? Really? They lost me after the second rootkit...
      • Personally, I think I'm done with Sony products. After the rootkit installing CDs and there other antics with the PS3, I don't feel like they actually want to keep me as a customer.

        Me too. I have not purchased a single Sony product, EVER, since seeing a list that somebody posted of their many attempts to lock the world into another wacky Sony proprietary format. Starting all the way back with BetaMax, then DAT, minidisc, ATRAC, MemoryStick, UMD, etc.

        And that is ON TOP OF the evil connector conspiracy that Sony has naturally been a part of. Sorry Sony, I'm done with you... I'll give you another try in my next lifetime.

    • by fnj ( 64210 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @11:02AM (#35137878)

      And what is it about asking for the IP address of those who VIEWED it?

      "Gee, this Tor guy is really active!"

    • Sony is going to run into a full Streisand Effect backlash with this new attempt to expunge the net of any trace of the very mention of this hack existing.

      Sony, WTF, Remember the 80's? Remember when Sony was sued for helping people infringe copyright by selling Betamax VCRs?
      Sort of like how the "Beta can be used to make illegal copies" lawsuit alerted more people that such could be done and Sony sold a bit more units because of this newly publicised use-case.

      Sony Inc. v Universal Studios [wikipedia.org]:

      The Court's 5-4 ruling to reverse the Ninth Circuit in favor of Sony hinged on the possibility that the technology in question had significant non-infringing uses, and that the plaintiffs were unable to prove otherwise.

      On the question of whether Sony could be described as "contributing" to copyright infringement, the Court stated:

      [There must be] a balance between a copyright holder's legitimate demand for effective - not merely symbolic - protection of the statutory monopoly, and the rights of others freely to engage in substantially unrelated areas of commerce. Accordingly, the sale of copying equipment, like the sale of other articles of commerce, does not constitute contributory infringement if the product is widely used for legitimate, unobjectionable purposes. Indeed, it need merely be capable of substantial noninfringing uses....

      So, now the tables have turned. Hotz is assumed to be "contributing to copyright infringement", however the technology in question has significant non-infringing uses -- (S

  • by macpacheco ( 1764378 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:22AM (#35136576)

    The only Playstation I ever had got sold 3 years ago, and now I have absolutely no interesting in purchasing ANY whatsoever Sony product.
    Don't need to bother with my IP address, if I still had a sony product, I would throw it into the garbage right now.

  • by mnslinky ( 1105103 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:23AM (#35136582) Homepage

    Did something like this go down when the HD-DVD key was found? Didn't it just cause MORE publicity, or something that's now know as the Streisand Effect? Good luck with that Sony, really.

    • Sure, after I press submit I see someone posted something similar already.

    • Yes, the DVDA attempt to prosecute anyone who even linked to a host of the deCSS "liberated" decryption key was the first case of the Streisand effect. It evoked an outraged response from the community, including a very effective EFF Blue Ribbon campaign for Freedom of Speech Online [eff.org], which is still active. I still own several t-shirts with the CSS key printed on the back. This was way back in like 1999 or something.

      But it wasn't named the Streisand Effect until Barbara Streisand sued the California Coast

    • by BigSlowTarget ( 325940 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @11:01AM (#35137870) Journal

      They want the Striesand effect. If it becomes widely distributed and known that people who hack PS3's get sued into oblivion the lesson is clear: mess with Sony and you lose your house. This is especially true for the people who had the talent and interest to do it the first time and it's probably going to slow down future hacks. The population of skilled hardware/software/firmware/microcontroller hackers capable of jailbreaking PS3's out there is probably large, but not infinite and they're reducing the pool.

      Sony is planning for the PS4,5,6,...

      • by wamatt ( 782485 ) *

        They want the Striesand effect. If it becomes widely distributed and known that people who hack PS3's get sued into oblivion the lesson is clear: mess with Sony and you lose your house. This is especially true for the people who had the talent and interest to do it the first time and it's probably going to slow down future hacks. The population of skilled hardware/software/firmware/microcontroller hackers capable of jailbreaking PS3's out there is probably large, but not infinite and they're reducing the pool.

        Sony is planning for the PS4,5,6,...

        Well, if that's really their thinking, then they are going about it completely the wrong way. All that action is like to do, is to induce the opposite behaviour in the hackers, causing those anti-rebellious types to want to hack it even more. Even if it's just for the thrill of pissing off Sony some more.

    • I think the question is: does making sure everyone know the PS3 can be used to run whatever you want it to run, increase sales or decrease sales? Not everyone who uses the Streisand Effect is necessarily stupid.

      It's been out for several years now; maybe it needs a little extra publicity.

  • by maclizard ( 1029814 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:28AM (#35136624)
    For years I have been planning to get a PS3, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna give a penny to a company that is going to use the money to sue me and my peers... Guess I'll just have to buy used.
    • by royallthefourth ( 1564389 ) <royallthefourth@gmail.com> on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:35AM (#35136670)

      Buying used still increases the scarcity of PS3's, allowing Sony to keep the price of a new unit high.

      Not that individuals acting alone have any impact anyway...

      • Buying used still increases the scarcity of PS3's, allowing Sony to keep the price of a new unit high.

        Agreed, and realistically I would have no reason to buy one now that the Other OS option is not supported.

        Not that individuals acting alone have any impact anyway...

        Also agreed, however I feel rather confident that I'm not the customer Sony has lost over this.

      • Not that individuals acting alone have any impact anyway...

        A mob is just a group of individuals... Lots of posters have said they are done with Sony, so this may have an effect. That said, what took so long? This is Sony business as usual...

      • by Bert64 ( 520050 )

        Yes and no...
        A used PS3 might have been bought when sony lost money on their sale, therefore buying a used one prevents the sale of a new unit that would make sony a profit.

    • by yotto ( 590067 )

      I'll be damned if I'm gonna give a penny to a company that is going to use the money to sue me and my peers...

      So they're you're peers, eh? As in peer to peer?

      Aaaaaaand here's a lawsuit.

  • by Geminii ( 954348 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:34AM (#35136658)
    Sony is also demanding "A bajillion kajillion dollars, all the chocolate in the world, and a pony."
    • A Sony pony? Baloney!
    • Re:In breaking news (Score:4, Interesting)

      by PolygamousRanchKid ( 1290638 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @10:09AM (#35137054)

      Sony is also demanding "A bajillion kajillion dollars, all the chocolate in the world, and a pony."

      Well, I don't have a pony to offer them, but I do have an ass. It's hairy, and Sony is cordially invited to kiss it.

      I don't understand Sony. Back in the 80's and 90's, when I needed some electronic thingie, I would just walk into the store and ask what Sony had to offer. I have a CD player from 1989 that refuses to do, despite years of abuse from a dumb-ass like me. My camcorder from 1998 is still the toast of the town, for all the features that it has. It also refuses to die, despite my drunken friends at parties, dropping it, spilling beer on it, etc.

      As a child/teenager, back in the 70's, I used to read my father's copy of . When they had stories about top executives, I used to think, "Wow! Those must be really intelligent guys, to be running a big company like that!" Now, I look at Sony, with their root-kit action, and now this, and I ask, "How did such dumb-asses get to be running such a large company? Don't they realize that they are pissing their customers off with stuff like this?"

      Well, let me join the chorus. The next time I buy some electronic thingie, instead of asking, "What does Sony have?", I will ask, "What can you recommend?" Sorry Sony, I just seem to not have much trust in you anymore.

    • Sony is also demanding "A bajillion kajillion dollars, all the chocolate in the world, and a pony."

      I have a pony for them... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-prMb6BdNs [youtube.com]

  • Cutting into Sales (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Fnord666 ( 889225 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:38AM (#35136698) Journal

    Sony claims the hacks will eat into game sales for the 41 million PS3 units sold.

    Dear Sony,
    You know what will really cut into sales? Being total douchebags towards your customers. That's what is really going to cut into sales.
    thxkbye

    • Why? It hasn't hurt them so far? I mean I hope this does, but they have been real bastards for a long time. If the first two rootkits didn't get your attention, what will?
    • by Tisha_AH ( 600987 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @11:04AM (#35137906) Journal

      I am amazed that Sony is persisting in being a BUNCH OF JACKASSES. When I purchased a PS3 several years ago most of the appeal was the "Other OS" feature. Sure, I have bought my share of games (>20) and enjoy those too. Selling something (Other OS) and then taking it away makes many of us just think that Sony management is full of Mother-Fuc&ers.

      Sony should be embracing the Other OS crowd and giving us more options to use the platform for high end computing.

      Hey assholes, you made the news as a forward thinking company when you gave us the Other OS feature. Now you are making the news for being just as backwards and ignorant as Micro$oft.

      What the result will be (for me) is that I will enjoy the games I have but will not spend another dime on PS3 games. Guess what, I am doing that just to spite you.

  • 60GB with full hardware backwards compatibility...

  • Sony has been reading the SCO playbook....

  • Post it on wikileaks, and make it available to all from there, as they are already in hot water, and will not be shut down at any cost.....this way it will get mirrored by all who support such things, and the openness of information. Screw you SONY!

  • ...but now I refuse. My 7 year old will be disappointed but someday he'll understand because I'll raise him to know that we vote with our wallets. I'd rather he be a PC gamer anyways.
    • You should probably go Amish then because every corporation on the planet acts like this.

  • by martijnd ( 148684 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @09:59AM (#35136942)

    What's more, the company is demanding that a federal judge order Google to surrender the IP addresses and other identifying information (PDF) of those who have viewed or commented about the jailbreak video on a private YouTube page.

    The INTERESTING bit here is in finding out how much, and what, Google actually logs and stores.

    So does Google actually log visits by IP adress to a private YouTube page?

  • The PS2 was very easily hacked to play pirated games. And yet the PS2 was the most successful console of its generation. The Gameboy line of handhelds have all been very easily hacked, and yet Nintendo sells tons of games and hardware.

    I'm not advocating piracy or saying it has zero effect, but I honestly believe that threatening to sue anyone who even viewed the content (with no proof they hacked their console, or distributed the information) is really going too far. I've long been a Sony supporter. I bough

  • Can someone please put a link to that youtube video ?

    Thanks.

  • I believe that Sony's lawyers failed miserably in reality check ... What will they do, forcing everyone (on the entire planet) to forget that the hack exists? These guys forget that the reality is quite different from the fairy tale where they live...
  • Am I the only one who finds it a little creepy that a foreign company can come into the U.S. and just wantonly try to violate the 1st and 4th amendment rights of our citizens (and presumably, many other citizens around the world)? As big a bunch of tools as Google are, I would hope they would at least tell Sony to go to hell on the identities of commenters and viewers of a web video. And, if they do hand these over, I think the FBI should be investigating THEM.

  • by Montezumaa ( 1674080 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @10:25AM (#35137302)

    I have all the software and code to hack the PS3. I will also make it available to anyone that asks for it, by emailing me at montezumamd@gmail.com. Seeing as everyone that wants it can get it, Sony will have a hard fucking time suing me, or anyone else. There is also the fact that I am dirty-fucking-poor, and have no money to my name. Also, seeing how I cannot be put in jail for providing what is already publicly available, Sony can do nothing to me.

    I was going to try and comment on that YouTube video(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkLSXsCKDkg), but alas, it is private. So, I will just comment here and say that, if that video is pertaining to hacking the PS3, then good job.

  • COME SUE ME SONY, I GOT NO MONEY, AND IM ON SSI HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAA TAKE THIS AND SHOVE IT erk: C0 CE FE 84 C2 27 F7 5B D0 7A 7E B8 46 50 9F 93 B2 38 E7 70 DA CB 9F F4 A3 88 F8 12 48 2B E2 1B riv: 47 EE 74 54 E4 77 4C C9 B8 96 0C 7B 59 F4 C1 4D pub: C2 D4 AA F3 19 35 50 19 AF 99 D4 4E 2B 58 CA 29 25 2C 89 12 3D 11 D6 21 8F 40 B1 38 CA B2 9B 71 01 F3 AE B7 2A 97 50 19 R: 80 6E 07 8F A1 52 97 90 CE 1A AE 02 BA DD 6F AA A6 AF 74 17 n: E1 3A 7E BC 3A CC EB 1C B5 6C C8 60 FC AB DB 6A 04 8C 55 E1 K: BA 90 55 91 6
  • What are they going to do, send thugs over? [pumps shotgun]
  • Sure, now Sony will have to evaluate new DRM for new games. Big whoop. By antagonizing like this, all they're doing is digging the hole deeper. Adding back the OtherOS option would have been reason enough for the fail0verflow folks to quit.

  • by Big Boss ( 7354 ) on Tuesday February 08, 2011 @01:10PM (#35139640)

    I was already done with Sony. They don't even make high quality stuff anymore, it's all disposable junk they charge a premium to put their name on. The last straw was a BluRay movie, a $10 one, refusing to play on my PS3 without a firmware upgrade. WTF?!?!?! It's a PAID FOR MOVIE. Fuck you. Not only that, I think I'm going to start pirating all my media. I don't have to deal with this shit on pirated movies/games.

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