Sony-BMG is now being sued left, right and center over the software, which was included on a number of its popular titles. Litigants include the State of Texas, which is going to focus particularly on the fact that Sony lied about the risks posed by the trojan. Consider this Q&A from the company's Web site:

"Q: I have heard that the protection software is really malware/spyware. Could this be true?

A: Of course not. The protection software simply acts to prevent unlimited copying and ripping from discs featuring this protection solution. It is otherwise inactive. The software does not collect any personal information, nor is it designed to be intrusive to your computer system. Also, the protection components are never installed without the consumer first accepting the End User Licence Agreement. If at some point you wish to remove the software from your machine simply contact customer service through this link."

Every statement - except for the last one, which is arguable - is untrue. And users are concerned, to put it mildly. Just search Amazon for 'Copy protected' and read the customer reviews if you need convincing that the natives are somewhat restless.

However, the real story is that the companies that are supposed to protect us all from horrors like this have been looking the other way, if not actually being complicit.