Objects in Flux - RMIT Research Repository - RMIT University

through direct action but rather through the
careful structuring of the consumer realm. Sony’s
action against aibopet.com should be understood
not as an attack on an individual but as part of a
broad strategy to control the Aibo user environment.
In their attempt to structure product use
Sony used a number of control mechanisms. In
shutting down the aibopet.com website Sony
sought to control representation of the Aibo product
by limiting the visibility of this divergent use.
Through contractual control mechanisms such as
product warranties and End User License Agreements (EULA), 12 Sony
deterred users from carrying out unauthorized product modifications.
State regulation, specifically the anti-circumvention provisions given
within the DMCA, allowed Sony to claim this divergent use as illegal.
In the design of the Aibo product Sony limited the functionality of the
robot to a defined set of movements and employed technical protection
measures to prevent users from altering or adding to these movements.
And finally, by forcing the removal of instructions and software
pertaining to the Aibo modification Sony effectively controlled the
information available to consumers and limited the possible paths of
engagement.
Through this combination of control mechanisms Sony sought to limit
the interpretative flexibility of the Aibo product, however, their use of
direct legal action against aibopet.com angered many in the Aibo user
community. Sony had underestimated the importance of this site to
Aibo customers. Richard Walkus, an Aibo owner stated:
‘Aibo is an exciting toy, but Aibopet’s enhancements kept the excitement
going … He’s made tools to see what mood Aibo was in, or set it
in different life stages, or have better wireless communications. There
are tools to see in real time what Aibo sees, and vital signs, emotions,
mood, voice recognition. Those were enhancements riding on top of
Sony’s Aibo that Aibopet created.’ (Cited in Manjoo, 2001.)
Disgruntled Aibo owners threatened to boycott Sony; in response,
Sony released a number of Aibo programming tools for non-commercial
use. The release of official programming tools had a similar effect
Stategies of Control and Tactics of Use
[Figure 6-6]
Sony Aibo, 2008.
Photograph Schockwellenreiter.
12/ An End User License Agree-
ment (EULA) is a contract between a
producer/distributor and a user/con-
sumer of a product or service. EULAs
are commonly used for software and
digitally distributed media and often
grant special copyright exemptions to
users, such as allowing then to install
and run software or load media onto
a specified number of devices, where
such actions may normally constitute
a violation of copyright law. In addi-
tion to this, EULAs may be employed
by producers to expand their control
of use beyond that given within the
copyright act.
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