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’….” [Vacuum – Edward Vielmetti]

Edward then goes on to urge folks to talk to their librarians about this, so be prepared just in case. If you’re not familiar with this completely outrageous story (one that highlights just some of the problems with the ways in which the media companies are implementing Digital Rights Management – DRM), read up at The Rootkit of All Evil. Yet another example of libraries getting caught in the middle.