In September Sony updated the PlayStation Network's terms of service to include a new clause removing the ability for customers (who were more than likely upset over the major security breach that happened earlier in the year) to file future class action lawsuits. Users who accepted the new TOS had to agree to individual arbitration instead of a lawsuit if they had a grievance against Sony. Since users had to agree to the new TOS in order to sign in to PSN, many simply agreed and moved on. Some opted out via mail, but most simply weren't concerned about the changes enough to make the effort.
One person has decided that he deserves his day in court over these changes, and has filed a class action lawsuit. The class in this case represents those who had purchased a PS3 prior to the changes in the TOS. The Northern Californian man who filed the lawsuit alleges that Sony has engaged in unfair business practices by taking away a service users expected to have when they bought the console. The suit further alleges that in adding these new clauses, Sony tried to hide the information deep within a form viewable only on the PS3 - previous user agreements were available online.
Sony has not responded publicly to this story, but chances are that they would have no comment because of the pending litigation. We'll continue to follow this story as it develops.
The last class action lawsuit agianst Sony, which focused on the removal of OtherOS from the PS3, was thrown out by a district court judge who called the company's action "bad business" but not illegal.
Source: GameSpot by way of IndustryGamers
Comments
Re: Sony Faces Class Action for PSN Terms of Service Changes
It's companies like Sony that make me wish we had "SADFART" laws in the US.
-Greevar
"Paste superficially profound, but utterly meaningless quotation here."