Judge Allows Sony to Unmask Anybody Who Visited GeoHot Site

[RupeeClock]

A federal magistrate is granting Sony the right to acquire the internet IP addresses of anybody who has visited PlayStation 3 hacker George Hotz’ website from January of 2009 to the present.

Thursday’s decision (.pdf) by Magistrate Joseph Spero to allow Sony to subpoena Hotz’ web provider raises a host of web privacy concerns.

The subpoena to Bluehost, which maintains Hotz’ geohot.com site, is part of Sony’s lawsuit against the 21-year-old New Jersey hacker. Respected for his iPhone hacks and now the PlayStation 3 jailbreak, Hotz is accused of breaching the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and other laws after he published on his website an encryption key and software tools that allow Playstation owners to gain complete control of their consoles from the firmware on up.

...

A subpoena to YouTube, also approved, seeks information connected to the “geohot” account that displayed a video of the hack being used: “Jailbroken PS3 3.55 with Homebrew.” The subpoena demands data to identify who watched the video and “documents reproducing all records or usernames and IP addresses that have posted or published comments in response to the video.”

Source: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/03/g...site-unmasking/

So basically, if you have watched a youtube video about something that might've interested you, even if you have not jailbroken your PS3, even if you don't OWN a PS3, Sony knows who you are.

This is an outrage.

 

[giratina16]

I am so glad my laptop blew up and the fact I changed my internet provider since. Fuck you Sony you tampon sucking twats!

 

[Slyakin]

ZOMG, time for people to start bawling about looking at a Youtube video.

Even if Sony knows who you are, you probably aren't gonna get any legal charges against you. Only the BIG peoples.


But, I'm really pissed at how a judge allowed them to do that. The law really needs to be clarified more.

 

[RupeeClock]

I am so glad my laptop blew up and the fact I changed my internet provider since. Fuck you Sony you tampon sucking twats!

Did you view Geohot's youtube video, with a youtube account?
Then Sony will know your username. >

 

[GundamXXX]

Unbelievable

Is this applicable to only US IP's? Id hope so otherwise a US judge has just signed the "death warrant" for people in different countries

This is...I dont even...

 

[giratina16]

I am so glad my laptop blew up and the fact I changed my internet provider since. Fuck you Sony you tampon sucking twats!

Did you view Geohot's youtube video, with a youtube account?
Then Sony will know your username. >

Only with an account that I haven't used in almost a year with fake details of where I live.

 

[mattisgoku]

Ok, so I went on his site once when it was nearing it's end just to see the fuss when this all came serious to Sony. So they know who I am now?

 

[Deleted_171835]

Now, this is plain ridiculous.

What will Sony gain by getting the IP Addresses of everyone who watched the Youtube video or visited Geohot's site?

 

[Slyakin]

Ok, so I went on his site once when it was nearing it's end just to see the fuss when this all came serious to Sony. So they know who I am now?

Pretty much. They know your IP address and your service provider.

If they wanted, they can track you down. Which they don't really want to do in the first place.

 

[Schizoanalysis]

You could always say it was your cat who clicked on the link....

 

[Presto99]

THIS IS MADNESS!

Really, even if they don't come kill you or anything it's still really dumb. I don't even have a PS3, so I didn't go to the site or watch any youtube videos about it.

 

[BobTheJoeBob]

This is fucking ridiculous. What right do they actually have to know the IP of people who just happened to come by a site. This makes no bloody sense.

 

[Evo.lve]

This is fucking ridiculous. What right do they actually have to know the IP of people who just happened to come by a site. This makes no bloody sense.

QFT

 

[GundamXXX]

Also

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_189360961103102

TADA

 

[xakota]

What the FUCK?
See this is what I knew would happen. I don't think the judges involved in this case are technically savvy enough to know how much of a big deal this is.

 

[chyyran]

WHY DOES SONY GET TO SEE MY FUCKING IP ADDRESS?


THIS IS FUCKING INVASION OF FUCKING PRIVACY YOU FUCKING BITCHASS OF A FUCKING COMPANY!

Tomorrow's Headline: Sony arrests majority of North American Population for visiting George Hotz website.

 

[Kioku]

Unbelievable

Is this applicable to only US IP's? Id hope so otherwise a US judge has just signed the "death warrant" for people in different countries

This is...I dont even...

-.- this is gonna suck... Haha

 

[awssk8er]

Too bad they can't do anything with this information.

It's still f*cked up how they are able to obtain it though.

 

[GundamXXX]

Too bad they can't do anything with this information.

It's still f*cked up how they are able to obtain it though.

Yea they can.. a simple 1 2 3 rule like Brittain
And no theres no law like that yet but as you know the US politicians are corrupt so Sony will buy their support

 

[RupeeClock]

I was just considering the data protection act.

Anyone in the UK who feels they may be infringed on by Sony should be able to request that:
-They are allowed to see what data Sony are holding on them
-That the data is not used to cause damage or distress

I don't know if an IP address is identified enough to be covered, but something such as Youtube account information might.