I guess it shouldn't come as any surprise that Sony would be updating their current "Terms Of Use" contract with PlayStation Network (PSN) users, especially considering the pretty nifty features they've been adding to the service lately. But do they need to be so snotty about it?
Upon reviewing the latest changes to the "Terms of Use", a few choice words jumped out at me, and led me to wonder if anyone higher up at the company had approved such...caustic...language.
Although things start out nice and boring (like most ToS contacts), it becomes obvious fairly quickly that this list isn't the product of a single individual. At least two hands are at work here, one lawyerly and another less so. I don't mind agreeing to terms I find respectful and mature, but I'm not sure about giving away my rights and loving to a contact that sounds like it was written off the cuff and with little regard to how others might view it. Heart of gold I've got, and typically none of this would bother me much...but the thought of Sony being so cavilier about "coming after you" in this day and age of users getting the legal-enema by corporate giants? Not so much fun.
Here's the choiciest bits, with the numbers of their location in the "Terms of Service"
6. This may sound familiar, but it's important, so we're going to rephrase it. Anything on this site--pictures, drawings, text, games, anything--is either our property or the property of someone who gave us the permission to use it. IT'S NOT PUBLIC DOMAIN, AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT YOURS. Don't use any of it for anything other than personal entertainment, unless we say you can (and we probably won't). If you do, you're probably violating at least one law, and since we told you here, we won't feel bad about coming after you.
7. On the same note, there are plenty of trademarks, logos, and service marks on this site that belong to us or someone who said it's cool for us to use them. So hands off! (That's from our legal guys.) They also say if you fool around with any of these trademarks, they or the owner of the mark or some other prosecutor who they inform will come after you.
9. We try to pay attention to what you guys are chatting about or posting in our discussion groups, but we can't take responsibility if some loser sneaks in and posts some rubbish.
Sony, baby, I love you...supported you like family, even through the tough times. But you have to understand why some people would be a tad upset when being talked down to, especially coming off a rough couple years like you've had. People get sensative over this type of thing - believe me I know - and while I can't believe that the higher-ups over there would've approved this tone, it should be fairly easy to modify it. In fact you can modify it as much as you like, its right there in your own Terms.
The full text of the newly-minted "Terms Of Use" can be found simply by clicking right HERE!
blog comments powered by Disqus