COPY PROTECTION 2

Sony lost a legal battle in Australia over the modifying of its PlayStation games console. The High Court ruled that chipping the console so that it can play imported games does not breach copyright law. The ruling ends a four-year legal battle between Sony and a supplier of so-called mod chips, which bypass regional controls on the machine. In the UK, the selling of mod chips was ruled illegal in 2004. Consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation 2 can be modified by chips that are soldered to a console's main circuit board to bypass copyright and regional controls. The chips allow people to play games purchased legitimately in other countries, as well as running backup copies or bootleg discs.

The case in Australia revolved around retailer Eddy Stevens who supplied and installed modification chips in PlayStation consoles. A modded console lets gamers play imported games which are cheaper than those sold in the country. It also means fans can play the latest games from the US and Japan way before a title is officially released in Australia. Sony argued that the mod chips were a breach of copyright under Australian law. After a series of conflicting judgements from different courts, the High Court has come down on the side of Mr Stevens.

It ruled that mod chips do not breach copyright. It decided that while the chips let gamers play copied or imported games, they do not enable the copying of games. A lawyer for Mr Stevens said the judgement would allow Australian consumers to buy lower price versions of games overseas and play them on their modded consoles. In other countries, the selling of mod chips is banned. In the UK, both Microsoft and Sony have used the EU Copyright Directive to clamp down on mod chips. Under that directive, it is illegal to circumvent copy protection systems. (Source: BBC News)

Sony was accused of using computer virus-style tactics on its anti-piracy CDs. The record label had to distribute a free software patch, which disabled a feature similar to those used by virus writers. The feature made its copy-protection device almost impossible to remove from home computers. Sony offered the repair program after a computer expert found it had used the 'Get Right With The Man' CD by American country rock band Van Zant to pioneer the XCP protection device, also used on about 20 other titles.

Its discovery has shown the extent the record industry is willing to go to prevent piracy. Previous measures have included EMI-owned Parlophone preventing the CD of British band Gorillaz hit album 'Demon Days' being played on computers. Furious music fans complained to Sony and told shoppers on online retailer Amazon.com not to buy the Van Zant CD, which they said was the latest instance of record companies treating them like potential criminals.

Sony's technology is one of many moves being tried out by record companies to stop music piracy. It installed a special media player on the machine, which only allowed three copies of the album to be made. The album plays normally on hi fi CD players and the device does not affect Apple Macs. Computer programmer and Windows expert Mark Russinovich, who found the program, said it used a Rootkit, which virus writers have used to make sure anti-virus software cannot their work.

Oxfordshire based company First 4 Internet, which designed the software, said the CDs were clearly labelled as containing copy protection measures and if people wanted to delete it Sony provided a form on its website. The company has since moved away from the technology. (Source: This is Money)

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