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"This settlement gets music fans what they thought they were buying in the first place -- music that will play on all their electronic devices without installing sneaky software," Cindy Cohn, legal director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said in a statement.
A federal judge gave final approval on Monday for a settlement between Sony BMG and consumers who were part of a class-action lawsuit filed as a result of the record label's use of copyright-protection software secretly embedded in some music CDs.
Anyone who purchased, received, or used CDs containing the digital-rights management (DRM) software after August 1, 2003, is covered under the agreement. Those who file a claim will receive new unprotected replacement CDs, free music downloads from a selection of 200 titles, or cash payments of $7.50.
Consumers have until the end of 2007 to make their claims.
"This settlement gets music fans what they thought they were buying in the first place -- music that will play on all their electronic devices without installing sneaky software," Cindy Cohn, legal director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said in a statement.
Participating in the settlement, Cohn said, is a way to show Sony and the entertainment industry as a whole how seriously consumers take the issue. "If you take the time to claim the product you deserve, maybe other music labels will think twice before wrapping songs in DRM."
A Sony spokesperson said that the company is pleased with the final settlement.
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