Texas Expands Lawsuit Against Sony

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott expanded his lawsuit against Sony BMG Music Entertainment, alleging that a second form of anti-piracy technology used by the label violates the state's spyware and deceptive trade practices laws.

Abbott sued Sony BMG in November, saying the world's second-largest music label surreptitiously included spyware on millions of CDs through technology known as XCP. That technology, included on 52 Sony BMG titles, could leave computers vulnerable to hackers, he said.

"We keep discovering additional methods Sony used to deceive Texas consumers who thought they were simply buying music," Abbott said in a statement. Abbott said MediaMax violates Texas law because some versions secretly install files when the CD is inserted into a computer, before the consumer has a chance to accept or decline a license agreement. The files can lead to the security breach.

Sony BMG misleads consumers by saying no files will be installed if the agreement is rejected, Abbott said, when, in reality, the installation already has occurred. It is difficult for consumers to remove the files, he added.

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