Normal people like me almost never read the Terms of Service policy. That’s the mess of legal jargon before you click on “I agree.” But Sony has recently changed part of their ToS for new members signing up for Playstation Network which, in layman’s terms, waives your right to sue as part of a group or a class-action lawsuit.
Gamestooge reports that an email specifying this change went out to PSN subscribers that the change will take place on September 15. Here’s the legalese if you care to read that kind of word porn:
ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDINGS, WHETHER IN ARBITRATION OR COURT, WILL BE CONDUCTED ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT IN A CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION OR AS A NAMED OR UNNAMED MEMBER IN A CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, REPRESENTATIVE OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL LEGALACTION, UNLESS BOTH YOU AND THE SONY ENTITY WITH WHICH YOU HAVE A DISPUTE SPECIFICALLY AGREE TO DO SO IN WRITING FOLLOWING INITIATION OF THE ARBITRATION. THIS PROVISION DOES NOT PRECLUDE YOUR PARTICIPATION AS A MEMBER IN A CLASS ACTION FILED ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 20, 2011.
You may remember that earlier this year, Sony was in the limelight of the press when their private data, that is to say, your private data, was leaked. Related news? It’s debatable if this has anything directly to do with that. Relevant news? I sure think so.
