Sony Deletes 551 Movies PlayStation Owners Paid For

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Nature of “Purchases” and Licenses

  • Strong consensus that these were marketed as “purchases” but functionally behaved as revocable licenses.
  • Many argue that “buy” vs “rent” has an established plain‑language meaning (ownership vs time‑limited access), and that using “buy” for revocable access is deceptive.
  • Several say the only real “ownership” now is DRM‑free files you can back up yourself (or physical media), everything else is effectively rental.

Sony, StudioCanal, and Responsibility

  • Some blame is placed on StudioCanal for licensing terms that allow revocation.
  • Others argue consumers’ contract is with Sony, so Sony bears primary responsibility for selling something it couldn’t guarantee.
  • A recurring point: Sony could have refused such terms, negotiated perpetual re‑download rights, or migrated licenses elsewhere (e.g., to another store) to avoid this outcome.

Legal / Regulatory Angles

  • Calls for laws that:
    • Forbid marketing revocable licenses as “buy,” “own,” etc.
    • Require refunds or compensation if access is later revoked.
    • Treat digital purchases like physical goods, including resale/loan rights.
  • Some mention ongoing or upcoming legislation (e.g., in California and the EU) targeting misleading “buy” language and “stop killing games”–style behavior.
  • Debate over class actions: seen as likely but often yielding trivial payouts; some suggest coordinated small‑claims as more effective.

Piracy, Archiving, and Ethics

  • Very high volume of comments saying this justifies or even obliges piracy, especially for content already “purchased.”
  • Arguments range from “if buying isn’t owning, piracy isn’t stealing” to viewing piracy as preservation or consumer self‑defense.
  • Others point out residuals and harms to some creators, but several claim most streaming revenues to artists are negligible.

Alternatives: Physical Media, DRM‑Free, and Platforms

  • Many advocate:
    • Physical discs and local media servers (e.g., ripping DVDs/Blu‑rays to NAS/Jellyfin).
    • DRM‑free stores (Bandcamp, GOG) and open hardware.
  • Steam is cited as relatively consumer‑friendly but still fundamentally gatekept; trust is seen as conditional and reversible.

Consumer Reactions and Broader Trend

  • Sony’s history (rootkit CDs, OtherOS removal, account bans) is repeatedly cited as a pattern of anti‑consumer behavior and a reason for long‑running boycotts.
  • Ending physical discs and shutting older stores is viewed as part of a “you will own nothing” trajectory.
  • General expectation: this won’t be the last such incident, and it is pushing many users away from mainstream digital purchases.