Fans of civil liberties will probably remember that a few months ago, Sony updated its PlayStation Network terms of service to include a clause prohibiting users from filing class action lawsuits against the company, a move described by the internet as “literally worse than Hitler”.

Of course, it was really only a matter of time until somebody decided to file a class action suit against Sony about it, and that time is right now. Set phasers to “irony”.

According to a report over on Gamespot, an unnamed California resident has filed the class action suit on behalf of himself and everybody else who bought a PlayStation 3 and used the PSN before the terms of service change in September. The suit alleges that Sony has engaged in “unfair business practices” for effectively forcing PS3 owners to choose between the PSN and suing Sony.

A judge recently dismissed a somewhat similar case against Sony, filed after the company effectively forced PS3 owners to choose between the PSN and the PS3’s “OtherOS” feature.

“The flaw in plaintiffs’ [argument] is that they are claiming rights not only with respect to the features of the PS3 product, but also to have ongoing access to an internet service offered by Sony, the PSN,” ruled federal judge Richard Seeborg in the OtherOS case.

I predict this latest lawsuit going pretty much the same way.

Source: Gamespot

Further reading

PS3 “OtherOS” class action suit dismissed