SonicBlue ordered to track ReplayTV users' viewing choices (1 Viewer)

[Chris Muellen]

Some things are just plain wrong. As part of pre-trial discovery, SonicBlue is required write software that reports "all available information" of their users habits (every show they record, every commercial they skip and every program they send) to the entertiainment industry.
The article from today's San Jose Mercury News:
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/sil...ey/3186191.htm
Bye bye privacy. Hello Link Removed
- Chris

 

[Larry Seno Jr.]

I can't believe that Sonicblue didn't attempt to get an injunction.

 

[Gil Clark]

Seems to me that they are claiming that EVERYBODY that owns a ReplayTV device is using it for illegal activities. Guilty until proven innocent.

This sounds like something that should require a search warrant.

You can't just invade people's privacy like this. Cops need a search warrant to invade the privacy of a murderers or rapists home. I guess the real criminals have all the rights (after all, they're the ones that make the laws, so of course they'll protect themselves).

If I were a software engineer for SonicBlue and ordered to write this software, I'd either quit, or write a backdoor (ie a way to NOT have your choices tracked) and tell my friends and family about it.

How can they tell if you click the commercial skip button that you're really skipping a commercial?

I guess it's more for the "sending what you recorded to another box" feature. What if you're forwarding it to your box in the bedroom where you don't have cable? I see no problem with that. It's like taking a VHS tape from one room to another.

 

[Jeff D]

SonicBlue is appealing the ruling to a higher court.

Seems like an invasion of privacy to me.