Sony Warns Media Not to Fuck with Them

15 Dec, 2014

Sony Pictures Entertainment, reeling from hacker attacks, told news organizations Sunday that they may be held liable for damages if they publish the contents of its hacked e-mails and files.

The warning, which was sent to publishers in a three-page letter from Sony’s lawyer David Boies and published by tech news site Re/code, said leaked e-mails, documents and other files amount to “stolen information” and that Sony “does not consent to your possession, review, copying, dissemination, publication, uploading, downloading, or making any use of the Stolen Information.”

“If you do not comply with this request, and the Stolen Information is used or disseminated by you in any manner, SPE will no choice but to hold you responsible for any damage or loss arising from such use,” wrote Boies, the high-profile attorney who has represented Al Gore and financier Hank Greenberg.

In late November, Sony disclosed the hacking attack in its computer network that resulted in the public disclosure of embarrassing internal e-mails, sensitive financial information, staffer salaries and information about upcoming movies, as well as several movies being leaked to file-sharing sites. Some Sony staffers also received a new threatening e-mail earlier this month from the attackers.

A group calling itself the Guardians of Peace took responsibility for the attacks. The group has demanded that Sony halt the release of a movie called The Interview, a comedy, starring James Franco and Seth Rogen, about a CIA plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.

North Korea has denied any involvement in the hacking attacks.

In the letter, Sony also demanded that the news organizations in possession of hacked information notify its lawyers and destroy all copies.

USA Today 

Image Chris Pizzello

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