The Electronic Frontier Foundation thinks Microsoft ought to do more for the MSN Music customers who were recently, and rather abruptly, cast out the door. Although the EFF stops short of threatening legal action, in an open letter to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer the EFF says that Microsoft needs to issue a public apology, provide refunds or replacement music files and launch a "substantial" publicity campaign to make sure its customers know their options.
The controversy stems from Microsoft's recent decision to shut down the authorization servers that work with the DRM music files purchased through MSN Music. By doing so, all the music that customer's legally purchased through the MSN Music store will be trapped on a single computer.
While it's certainly possible to burn CDs of your music files and re-rip them sans DRM, that's probably not what most people had in mind when they purchased a product known as “Plays For Sure.”
EFF Staff Attorney Corynne McSherry says, “MSN Music customers trusted Microsoft when it said that this was a safe way to buy music, and that trust has been betrayed.” EFF Executive Director Shari Steele goes on to add, “Microsoft is asking its customers to spend more time, labor, and money to make degraded copies of music that was purchased in good faith.”
The EFF's letter also calls on Microsoft to eliminate DRM from its Zune music service, or at least to “publicly commit to compensating future customers for the inevitable future DRM debacles.”
[Tip of the hat to Lee]
See Also:
- Microsoft Kills PlaysForSure, Screws Over Loyal Customers
- Microsoft Brings Standards Committee "To A Grinding Halt"
- New Amazon Music Store Beats ITunes Pricing On DRM-Free Tracks
- Windows Media DRM Hacked Yet Again
- Ogg's Creator On Why Open Media Formats Still Rule
- Microsoft Announces Internet TV For Windows Vista
