Sony may 'monitor and record' PSN voice and text communications (update)

Sony's updated PlayStation 4 Software Usage Terms reveals the company may monitor and record PSN activity including content of voice and text communications

This information could later be used by Sony or affiliate companies in compliance with the law, in protection of the rights of Sony and those of its licensors and user, to protect the personal safety of employees and users and to enforce terms of service.

Regarding this online monitoring, Sony states it cannot monitor "all PSN activity" and makes "no commitment to do so."

"However, we reserve the right in our sole discretion to monitor and record any or all of your PSN activity and to remove any of your UGM at our sole discretion, without further notice to you," the statement continues.

"Your use of PSN and our community features may be recorded and collected by us or sent to us by other users as described in 13.1. Any information collected in this way, for example, your UGM, the content of your voice and text communications, video of your gameplay, the time and location of your activities, and your name, your PSN Online ID and IP address, may be used by us or our affiliated companies to enforce these Terms and the SEN Terms of Service, to comply with the law, to protect our rights and those of our licensors and users, and to protect the personal safety of our employees and users. This information may be passed to the police or other appropriate authorities. By accepting these Software Usage Terms, you expressly consent to this."

The company adds that all software is "licensed, not sold," meaning users only acquire the rights to use software but not ownership of the software. Additionally, the terms state users cannot re-sell "disc-based software or software downloads" unless authorized by Sony.

A full run-down of the new Software Terms of Use can be found here.

Update: Despite the language used in describing resale of software, a Sony Computer Entertainment spokesperson said it has not changed its policies regarding how it treats disc-based games.

"As we announced at E3, use of disc-based games will be similar to how PS3 works today. When gamers buy a PS4 disc, they can use that copy of the game, trade-in the game at retail, sell it to another person, lend it to a friend, or keep it forever."

Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida later tweeted, "If you are concerned about our new European TOS, we confirm that you are able to sell or share your disc PS4 products, including in EU."