George Hotz is in the middle of what could be a long, punishing legal battle with Sony, and his money is running out. "Media, I need your help. This is the first time I have ever asked. Please, if you support this cause, help me out and spread the word," he wrote on his newest blog entry. "I want, by the time this goes to trial, to have Sony facing some of the hardest-hitting lawyers in the business. Together, we can help fix the system."
Ars Technica contacted Hotz's lawyer to make sure this plea for cash was legitimate, and attorney Stewart Kellar confirmed that yes, the money raised goes to Hotz's legal fund to fight Sony. It also appears Hotz has friends with deep pockets: The first round of fundraising is already over, and more lawyers will be hired for Hotz's defense.
"I am an advocate against mass piracy, do not distribute anyone's copyrighted work but my own, do not take crap lying down, and am even pro-DRM in a sense," Hotz said. But, while companies like Apple have the right to lock down their iPhones at the factory, Hotz believes that consumers should be able to do what they like. "Once it's paid for and mine, I have the right to unlock it, smash it, jailbreak it, look at it and hack on it," he wrote. "Fortunately, the courts agree with me on this point."
Recently Hotz also took to YouTube to rap at Sony. A quick sample of the lyrics:
Hotz assured everyone that despite the rapping, he's serious about raising money to fight back. "Clearly I am not being sued because of something I have that Sony wants. I am being sued in order to send a message that Sony is not to be messed with," he said. "But if I (and all co-defendants likewise) actually win this, we have the power to send a much stronger message back. That consumers have rights, and we aren't afraid to stand up for them."
Hotz painted a picture of a company that uses its resources and legal team to bully anyone it doesn't like into submission. "Sony tried to sue a guy for getting his AIBO to do non-Sony approved tricks, making it apparent that they don't really care about piracy, they care about control," he added.
Since the donations page has gone up, Hotz has met his first goal and will be adding more lawyers to his legal team. For those without money to donate, Hotz is still asking for support. "Let people know how Sony treats customers," he wrote. "Let people know Sony would rather sue than be proactive and try to fix the problem. Let people know about laws like the DMCA which stifle innovation, and don't do anything to fix the problems they were created to solve."
If Sony offered to settle, Hotz has terms in mind: He wants the OtherOS option back on the PlayStation 3, and he wants a public apology from Sony. He's also willing to trade "a legit path to home-brew for knowledge of how to stop new firmwares from being decrypted." With a fresh infusion of funding and the attention of the media, Sony may find a more formidable opponent in Hotz than it expected.
