Jeremy deBeer reports that Sony BMG Canada has settled several Canadian class action lawsuits over the inclusion of the rootkit in dozens of CDs.  The settlement, which must still be approved by a Canadian court, features similar terms to those found in the U.S., including the right to cash compensation or music downloads.  The settlement site features a full list of the affected CDs including Canadian artists such as Sloan, Our Lady Peace, and a Canadian Idol compilation. 

While it is good to see that the Canadian legal issues will be put to rest, the reverberations from the Sony rootkit case will last well beyond the December deadline for filing a claim.  The Sony case will be remembered as a classic illustration of how the use of DRM can pose a security and privacy threat, how the use of copy-controls puts the recording industry at odds with both its customers and artists, and why the reputational risk associated with using DRM far outweighs any potential (and largely illusory) benefits.