Sony BMG Sues CD Anti-Piracy Company

Trying to recoup its losses as a result of placing anti-piracy software on its music CDs, Sony BMG sued the company responsible for the technology, it said on Thursday.

Sony is asking for $12 million USD in damages from The Amergence Group, Inc., formally known as SunnComm International. The suit was filed in a New York State court on July 3, according to court documents.

Amergence is accused of offering Sony software that did not work as promised --a breach of Sony's contract-- as well as negligence and unfair business practices. The company responded by calling Sony's claims unwarranted.

It argued that those who sued Sony BMG over the rootkits were for issues resulting from technologies that were unrelated to its MediaMax technology. Sony used MediaMax on about 4 million discs in 2005.

The discovery of the use of "rootkits" by Sony BMG was one of the biggest stories of 2005. The lawsuits that followed cost the company about $5.75 million to settle claims by consumers across at least 41 states.