Every service from Netflix to Xbox live has a Terms of service of sorts and they are all pretty basic for the most part, they exist to add a kind of legal barrier between the company and the consumer. Well Sony has added at least one not so standard clause to its End User License Agreement. A clause that has me wondering will it cost them business?
Announced recently is the arbitration clause that has been put into Sony’s new EULA. Arbitration is an out of court way to settle legal disputes that is generally reserved for two big companies, not one big company and one small consumer. An arbitration clause basically takes away your ability to sue in court. The way it works the two parties will pay the arbitrator an equal amount to mediate and decide the case. Sound good at first until you realize that Sony will use the arbitrator multiple times, the consumer, not so much, which creates in my mind a conflict of interest.
The new EULA is 21 pages, something I doubt many gamers will read. I have scanned over it and I can tell you with confidence the average person ill not fully understand all of it (I honestly think it’s designed that way). So just remember when you update and click accept you may be waiving your ability to sue Sony via the court systems.