Sony and GeoHot Settle in PlayStation 3 Hacking Case

Post by ravn0s @ 09:06am 12/04/11 | 27 Comments

Sony and Geohot have made a deal in which Sony will drop the lawsuit if he promises that he will never hack the ps3 again. From the official Sony blog:

Both parties expressed satisfaction that litigation had been quickly resolved. “Sony is glad to put this litigation behind us,” said Riley Russell, General Counsel for SCEA. “Our motivation for bringing this litigation was to protect our intellectual property and our consumers. We believe this settlement and the permanent injunction achieve this goal.”

“It was never my intention to cause any users trouble or to make piracy easier,” said Hotz, “I’m happy to have the litigation behind me.” Hotz was not involved in the recent attacks on Sony’s internet services and websites.

Fortunately for Sony, no other people on the planet are interested in PlayStation 3 hacking, so this should be the end of it. promoted/edited forum item

geohot playstation 3 hacking sony

Latest Comments

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Hogfather
Posted 09:25am 12/4/11

I reckon its a lose-lose for them.

Regardless of the official ruling or legalities, the public perception of the case was never going to play well for their corporate image.

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`ViPER`
Posted 09:35am 12/4/11

Seems kinda silly to just drop the case.

Promise you wont do it again

I promise.

Yeah cause he was the only guy hacking the PS3. some other smart dude will continue, but just wont make his image so public and Sony wont know who to go after.

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Midda
Posted 09:36am 12/4/11

Judging from what he's been saying in the comments on his blog, it sounds like Hotz is somewhat pleased with the terms of the settlement. I don't like the chances of ever knowing the terms though.

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teq
Posted 09:43am 12/4/11

SELL OUT

(jks,. good luck to him)

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trillion
Posted 09:49am 12/4/11

So after all that they didn't even hire the guy?

game sales must really be tight.

they should have been thankful that anyone even plays them

last edited by trillion at 09:49:29 12/Apr/11

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teq
Posted 09:54am 12/4/11

yeah I don't think too many people like geohot are going to want to work for Sony after these bulls*** shenanigans

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Python
Posted 09:57am 12/4/11

its not your PS3! You're just borrowing it!

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Eorl
Posted 10:00am 12/4/11

How bizarre.

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BladeHunter
Posted 10:04am 12/4/11

I wonder if the case against Graf will be settled the same way. I also noticed they have not gone after the Fail0verflow team for some reason.

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3dee
Posted 10:05am 12/4/11

How bizarre.

Dun dun dun... dun dun dun... How bizarre, how bizarre.

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trillion
Posted 10:06am 12/4/11

yeah, in contrast to if you've ever bought an Xbox (gen) where MS legal go to so much trouble to disclaim that you own it

Proving once again that Sony are the evil hand through the screen snatchin' up all ur 1c's and 2c's

The Fall of Sony more like it in reference to that other bollocks global propaganda thread.

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Outlaw
Posted 10:11am 12/4/11

sony lose

psn still being dos'd?

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trog
Posted 10:38am 12/4/11

Groklaw have some more about the actual details of the arrangement

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E.T.
Posted 10:49am 12/4/11

What was with all his bravado in his rap "Sue me, I dare you!" bull s***. What did he do when they sued him, he folded his cards.

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demon
Posted 11:06am 12/4/11

idealism is great right up to the point where you are given the choice of legal proceedings you can't afford vs a truckload of phat loot :p

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paveway
Posted 11:09am 12/4/11

What was with all his bravado in his rap "Sue me, I dare you!" bull s***. What did he do when they sued him, he folded his cards.

he's a little nerd, really what did you expect

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trillion
Posted 11:39am 12/4/11

good read trog, but it's a bit of protectionism gone too far for the hackers that don't give a dongs about piracy

but i suppose the enterprise never really cared for the millenium falcon too much anyway. ka boom tish

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Enska
Posted 11:41am 12/4/11

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Midda
Posted 12:06pm 12/4/11

What was with all his bravado in his rap "Sue me, I dare you!" bull s***. What did he do when they sued him, he folded his cards.

The case had already started when he did that rap. He wasn't daring them to sue, he was daring them to quote him in the rap or something.

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myWhiteWolf
Posted 10:34am 13/4/11

You F*****G idiot Hotz, I hope they paid him well for his agreement because he has signed a document allowing Sony the ability to Legally sue him for any future modifications (WHICH ARE LEGAL) to Sony hardware that they can link to him being the cause for (even if he didn't do the modification) at $10,000 a pop.

Also that they are now allowed to have him tried in California(successful jurisdiction shopping) if they chose to cause you problems in the future.

he should have gotten a lot of money out of it, but even thats doubtful. Sony are refusing to even pay his legal fees. somethings not right, after such a big "f*** you" to Sony at the start of the legal procedings, he meekly accepts a contract that puts him into a position of being legally liable for the very things he spoke against. Liable for things that there is no legal reason for him to be liable for.

Obviously he is also not allowed to talk about the agreement that was reached. my guess is 80% chance of bribe, and 20% chance of extortion.

last edited by myWhiteWolf at 12:48:53 12/Apr/11

last edited by myWhiteWolf at 10:34:02 13/Apr/11

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Midda
Posted 02:20pm 12/4/11

Read it again, WhiteWolf. The settlement says that George Hotz can't distribute modifications, etc. for Sony products. Hotz can't sign a document allowing Sony to sue people for modifying their systems. How do you figure Hotz has that authority?

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Wolfer
Posted 10:27am 13/4/11

I don't like this. Fishy...

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myWhiteWolf
Posted 10:34am 13/4/11

Read it again, WhiteWolf. The settlement says that George Hotz can't distribute modifications, etc. for Sony products. Hotz can't sign a document allowing Sony to sue people for modifying their systems. How do you figure Hotz has that authority?

sorry, "you" should be "him", i've changed it.

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trillion
Posted 10:39am 13/4/11

why doesn't someone pass Hotz the memo that hacking = waste of time and life.

developing. winning.

hacking bad. programming good.

noob hax stooooooopid. George now known as Boy George

+1

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Raven
Posted 11:45am 13/4/11

Read it again, WhiteWolf. The settlement says that George Hotz can't distribute modifications, etc. for Sony products. Hotz can't sign a document allowing Sony to sue people for modifying their systems. How do you figure Hotz has that authority?

It also says he can't develop a device that does such. If he designs/develops a system, and someone else uses it for infringement, they can sue for $10k per infringement, capped to $250k.

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Midda
Posted 11:53am 13/4/11

Yeah, as he said in his blog, nobody's freedom has been infringed on but his own. He must have gotten something out of this deal though.

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myWhiteWolf
Posted 12:48pm 13/4/11

If he designs/develops a system, and someone else uses it for infringement,

the way i read it was if he so much as tells someone else how to do it then he will be liable.

E. Distributing or posting any SCEA or SCEA Affiliates' confidential or proprietary information relating to any SONY PRODUCT;

F. Knowingly assisting or inducing others to engage in any of the conduct set forth in A-E above solely directed at any SONY PRODUCT or that otherwise constitutes contributory liabilty under the law.

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