Sony Subpoenas Geohot's PayPal Records

[kartu]

I hate politicians/judges more in this regard, than Sony.
Sony is just one typical company. Most of them would do anything for profits.

The fact that they could sue anyone for anything, and even have that where they want, with "yes" judge supporting the most ridiculous subpoenas who's known to always side with state/corporations is the ugliest part of this story.

 

[geekguy]

I can't believe how dumb down some people's views are. This guy is being sued for showing other people how to hack a product to accept pirated programs. So, in other words, he gave people the option to steal if they so choose it. You know, there was a fellow long time ago that brought something called fire.
It is sad, people will not evolve by suppressing their knowledge of things. They will only dumb down and be controlled by others. Too bad some companies have the power to dictate what happens with one's life. Enough said.

 

[sykozis]

[citation][nom]alidan[/nom]the piracy back than was pc, and back than, right next to the games, were blank floppy discs, piracy (the kind that mpaa/riaa wants you to believe happen everywhere, counterfeiting) was more rampant back than than now.[/citation]

Piracy is considerably more common now, than it was back in the 80's. Back in the 80's, it was uncommon to find someone who owned a personal desktop computer as they were rather expensive.

 

[AIstudio]

I dont buy all this Bull$hit!!!
Sony should wind there neck in and give people what they actually want at a reasonable price!! Then there wouldnt be half the piracy there is today.
What do these big corporate companies do. Develop hardware and software that is built/produced in factories where the workers are paid in beans, then have the ordacity to charge the rest of the world through the nose. this WONT go on forever and I think people are getting VERY sick of what these large corporations are doing!!!!

 

[hoofhearted]

The enritre country of Japan should get together and form a class action suit against Albert Einstein's estate. After all, he create the hack responsible for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the modern day catastrophe they are experiencing.

 

[FrozenGpu]

Sony is being quit silly, I never thought I'd say this but I hope they exit the console market sometime soon. They are going too far, why don't they just sue our government for not forcing each indivudal for not pruchasing a PS3 and paying tribute to the Sony empire? Sony please stop before you embarass yourself any further.

 

[Netherscourge]

Forget Sony - this is Geoge Hotz' own fault. You see, his mistake was doing all this stuff inside the United States.

All he had to do was license whatever software or hack he created (or whatever it was) with a Chinese company and let THEM distribute it.

He would have made MORE money and neither the US government or Sony could touch him.

To try and set up shop inside the United States was just plain stupidity.

 

[eccentric909]

[citation][nom]Vladislaus[/nom]I guess this is the reason that the PS3 is the console that is doing best financially...[/citation]

I hope this is sarcasm... It's hard to tell sometimes just via text.

Sony's goal for 2011 is to just be profitable, and it wasn't until 2010 that they finally started to cover the cost of the PS3. Both Nintendo (from the start) and Microsoft (2008) had already attained that status long before the PS3 did. Microsoft especially now with the Kinect setting the Guinness electronics sales world record with 8 million units sold in 60 days.

I just don't see this being good for Sony's image at all. No matter if they're doing it for the right or wrong reasons, most people are just going to see another corporation trying to take out or silence the "little guy". Sony just seems to have a knack for making themselves look very arrogant, though they're certainly not the first electronics company to do so. However, I'm sure that this might hurt their future PS3 sales and PS4 sales (whenever the "next" generation may come, not soon enough!).

 

[nao1120]

@hoofhearted

Glad you are so cultured to place such a ridiculous comment. Several thousand people in japan died then and now, i think i stand for others that may in fact think and say....your a idiot.

 

[blibba]

Whether you're for or against copyrighting, digital rights management, piracy, file sharing, patents, capitalism or anything else, this goes too far.

Last time I ever buy a Sony product.

 

[Parrdacc]

[citation][nom]tramit[/nom]Does anyone know why Nintendo stayed in business and Atari went out of business? The reason was that Nintendo regulated its goods by preventing piracy that was wide spread with Atari games. This is no different. Most people who hack their PS3 are most likely doing it to pirate games/media. Don't beat around the bush by saying you are hacking it for usability. Those that want to hack for a legit reason are far outnumbered by people who use these hacks for pirating means.[/citation]

You say most that "hack" the PS3, not sure hack is the right term perhaps jailbreak but then again depends on ones definition, are doing so for piracy and that those that do it for piracy outnumber those who do not. I seem to be missing the point I guess. I am not even certain that what Hotz did was even wrong. Did he prompt or commit piracy or did he do something that could be use to promote or commit piracy? It is not the skill or ability that determines right or wrong, but the how that skill or ability is used. Just cause some or many choose to do wrong with it does not mean you go around taking it away from everyone else.

 

[Yoder54]

[citation][nom]Blessedman[/nom]Soooo anyone who shows how to pick a master lock should be subpoenaed and charged with what?[/citation]

Picking a Master lock is not the same as jail breaking software, distributing it, and possible selling it. Hell, you crack a lock and what have you got? An open lock..big deal.

 

[Yoder54]

[citation][nom]tramit[/nom]Does anyone know why Nintendo stayed in business and Atari went out of business? The reason was that Nintendo regulated its goods by preventing piracy that was wide spread with Atari games. This is no different. Most people who hack their PS3 are most likely doing it to pirate games/media. Don't beat around the bush by saying you are hacking it for usability. Those that want to hack for a legit reason are far outnumbered by people who use these hacks for pirating means.[/citation]

Very valid point. It is too bad that so many end-users think that just because it is in a digital format that it should be available to all for free. These morons forget about the developers who depend on sales to make a living, or the companies who spend millions in R&D and need generated revenue to continue with product development. To pirate anything is to deny the rightful owners of what is legally theirs and is theft.

It is appalling how many people here at Tom's are proponents of music/software piracy. Not all, but far too many in my book. The positive side is that most who are the loudest supporters of piracy are still in high school, lack an understanding of commerce, and are short on ethics--one day they will grow-up.

 

[insider3]

You aren't forced to buy their console. And if you do decide to buy their console, then you should know the cost of their accessories and games. If it's too high for you, don't buy it. You never were forced. There are other forms of affordable entertainment out there. Even if Sony lowered the price people would still pirate games. Look at the Xbox, I can find more pirated ones than legitimate ones.

 

[robertking82881]

both sony and microsoft are low life sobs at times. boy coting and not buying there stuff will have no effect on company . you would have to convince the entire world and there kids there kids , kids act not to buy shit from them so victory gos to company

 

[Yuka]

Sony want to kill the golden eggs chicken cause it's giving gold for free.

Either way, like someone said above: If someone gives you a gun, it doesn't mean you get to shoot people out front. If he publishes a way to "hack" the PS3, you can't blame him for other (read it again, OTHER) people going pirate on the PS3. You all might have a valid relation for it, but like it or not, you can't stop someone from wanting to unlock his valid purchase of a piece of hardware.

Sony is just mad and scaring (or trying to) all "wanna be" pirates with Hotz's hack. They're doing what the MPAA and RIAA are doing: trying to profit out of a single person (or few people) for everybody else's doing. And that is just bad, way bad.

Cheers!

 

[Guest]

next up Sony to demand geohot's medical record and SSN and a full body cavity search just to prove he has not hidden anything

Sony to also to impose a ban on all USB sticks cause they 'MIGHT' be used in the hacking of the PS3 as well as any equipment that might also be compliant in creating a hack, like a PC......

 

[hoofhearted]

@nao1120

Then what you are saying is that Albert Einstein is even more of a bad guy since his discoveries led to so much death and destruction than this Geohot guy everyone is trying to villanize for his discovery which led to theft.

The atomic bomb is based on Einstein's theories. He also participated in the writing of a letter to the president for the creation of an investigation program of the reactions in chain that accelerated the production of the atomic bomb.

 

[bayouboy]

"However, a federal magistrate has now given Sony the green light to subpoena the PayPal records of George Hotz."

Jane,

Magistrates are quite rare in the US and Federal Magistrate Judges are referred to as Judges. It seems very unlikely that a Federal Magistrate Judge issued this order, more likely a Federal Judge. If this order was indeed issued by a Federal Magistrate Judge, the proper identifier would be Magistrate Judge or Judge.

I hope I am not sounding too nit picky, but in the US, we have a thing against court systems that widely use Magistrates.

Also, subpoenas of financial records are extremely easy to obtain because the level of privacy invasion is so low.

 

[NoCaDrummer]

Whether you're for or against copyrighting, digital rights management, piracy, file sharing, patents, capitalism or anything else, this goes too far.

Last time I ever buy a Sony product.

Good luck with that. Remember Sony bought Columbia, TriStar, MGM, and has their fingers in a significant number of films that you'd either go see in the theater or rent for home viewing.