Sony is being compelled by a court in California to compensate people for damage to their computers caused by the DRM used on some Sony BMG CDs.

Those affected will receive only $175 each, if they can produce a description of the damage to their PCs as well as documentation. Sony BMG also has to pony up another 380,000 pounds sterling in penalties and costs for the court case.

This marks the end of a long-running battle to hold Sony accountable for the damage. In November 2005, according to the BBC, Sony was accused of using similar techniques to virus writers in their copy protection, which hid itself on the computer.

The head deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County said that Sony BMG had stopped using the technology as soon as they were alerted to the fact that there was objection to it.

Only CDs sold in the US contained this particular type of copy protection.

>> Read - BBC