Quote :

"Following the wide spread publicity of the AACS hack, especially with working out the HD DVD processing key, the AACS LA has started sending out Cease and Desist letters to various blog sites as well as the search giant Google for publishing the key to simply linking to the Doom9 threads about the crack. These sites have been threatened with legal action if they do not comply. Unlike going after websites publishing DeCSS software or software that uses DeCSS, the processing key is only useful for sophisticated programmers capable of writing software to rip and decrypt the discs, much like how a blue-print drawing of a door key is not sufficient to unlock a door without an engineer first making a physical key based on it. Unfortunately for the AACS, it looks like it is going to be quite tricky for Google to take on this measure, considering the 1,000's of websites this processing key has been published on and more showing up all the time. Going by the letter, Google had a week from the letter's date of April 17th to comply and despite that period now being long overdue, Google still indexes 1,000's of website site links containing the key as well as the links indicated for removal in the letter. One thing that makes the HD DVD decryption key more attractive than the DeCSS key for DVD is the ability to create software to play HD DVDs with high definition on systems lacking HDCP support, something even commerical DVD playback software will not allow. At present, while most consumers have a monitor well capable of showing at least 720p at its native resolution, the lack of HDCP support forces the user to either use an analogue connection or be forced to watch the picture in a greatly reduced resolution. "

Jesus Christ....

So, basically, somebody figured out how to decrypt HD-DVDs. Google, because it links to basically everything, links to hundreds if not thousands of pages which have this information. The group in charge of AACS, the encryption scheme, has issued a cease and desist order against Google because they link to sites which talk about the theory and implementation of the decryption.

5/1/2007 3:20:06 PM

Google should tell them to STFU.

5/1/2007 3:23:55 PM

might as well sue the power companies providing power to the hosting companies that host the websites that have the key posted.

5/1/2007 3:26:49 PM

might as well sue the parents of the kids who decrypted the discs

or maybe the AACS should have done a better job of encryption!

5/1/2007 3:51:15 PM

Sounds like a legal fishing expedition to me. Probably out of frustration, they're going to cast the net as wide as possible and see if any of these legally stick.

5/1/2007 4:35:25 PM

"Dude, you can't take something off the Internet.. that's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool."

Joe Rogan ala News Radio.

5/1/2007 11:37:51 PM