French Consumer Association sues Sony

Sony is facing a lawsuit and a compensation payment made by the French Consumer Association. According to the reason for prosecuting the plaintiff, the electronics company scammed the French consumer community when selling songs that could only be heard on Sony-made devices.

In February 2005, the French Consumer Association (UFC) filed a lawsuit against Sony's two subsidiary companies in France and the UK for the music download site of Sony Corporation.

The lawsuit is also aimed at another 'goal' of Apple, the maker of iPods and is expected to open an apple trial later this year. But this time it was in the case of digital copyright management software (DRM).

Sony's Walkman digital music player.Photo AP .

All music files downloaded from the Connect website are locked by DRM software. That means, these music files can only be heard on Sony-made machines. However, not only locking music files downloaded from the website, this management software also blocks Walkman, a music player made by Sony, making it impossible to play music files purchased from websites' for Player ', such as Apple's iTunes.

According to UFC, Sony was accused on December 15 for "cheating" customers on the true nature of the product produced by the company and illegally protecting products, forcing people when bought. Sony's music player must also buy its music files.

With that "crime", the UFC Association said that Sony France would have to pay a fine for UFC of 10,000 euros (US $ 13,000). And Sony United Kingdom, the agency of website Connect will also be sentenced in this trial.

The trial did not require Sony to terminate the use of DRM technology, but forced Sony France to announce clearly on Net WM what kind of music players it could not play music files downloaded from competitors' websites. paintings.

A Sony France spokesperson declined to comment on the court's ruling and said only that her company has not yet decided whether to appeal.

Do Duong