Sony deletes more movies from the accounts of people who ‘bought’ them
Sony’s removal of hundreds of previously “purchased” movies from PlayStation user libraries has reignited anger over the gap between what platforms market as a “buy” and what legally remains a revocable license. Commenters argue this is a textbook failure of DRM and digital ownership, pushing people toward piracy, physical media, or DRM‑free platforms, and prompting calls for laws that either mandate refunds with interest or require true, transferable ownership of digital copies. The episode is also framed as part of a broader shift toward all‑digital consoles and cloud gaming, raising concerns about long‑term access to culture when corporations or licensing deals change.
Digital “ownership” vs. licenses
- Many argue this is the textbook DRM worst case: “buy” really means a revocable license tied to Sony’s contracts, not true ownership.
- Several note this has happened repeatedly across vendors (Walmart/PlaysForSure, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft), not just Sony.
- Some posters say consumers should already understand they’re just licensing access; others counter that using “buy/purchase/own” is deliberately deceptive.
Legal and policy angles
- Debate over whether a “Buy” button for a revocable license is false advertising; multiple commenters expect this could fail in court despite EULAs.
- California’s AB 2426 (bans “buy/own/keep” for revocable digital licenses) is cited; Valve/Steam’s wording change is mentioned as a response.
- Suggestions: mandatory full refunds (often inflation-adjusted, sometimes with interest) on revocation; very large revenue-based fines; even personal liability or jail time for executives.
- Others warn companies will just relabel buttons (“rent”, “get”, “revocable license”) unless laws also guarantee real ownership rights, not just clearer wording.
- Some see potential for FTC/ACCC or class actions, but note practical hurdles: low per-user damages, long timelines, and industry-written laws.
Piracy and user responses
- Many say this behavior morally legitimizes piracy: if “buying” doesn’t confer ownership, then copying doesn’t feel like “stealing.”
- Legal nitpicks clarify piracy is copyright infringement, not theft, but the moral sentiment dominates.
- Users describe moving to torrents/Usenet, or ripping their own discs, as the only way to ensure access.
Physical media, preservation, and DRM on discs
- Strong contingent advocates DVDs/Blu-rays, CDs, vinyl, and library lending; they report decades-old media still working and easily rippable.
- Others argue all media is ultimately fragile and hardware may disappear, but are often countered with examples of long-lived discs and players.
- Technical caveats: Blu-ray AACS key revocation can block some players from new discs, but there’s disagreement on how much it endangers existing libraries.
Consoles, PC, and the all‑digital future
- Sony’s move away from physical game discs plus revoking movies fuels fears of a future where users never own games or films.
- Broader thread debates:
- Are consoles in decline vs. PC/Steam Deck/Steam Machines?
- Consoles’ remaining advantages (standardized hardware, couch friendliness, simple UX) vs. PC’s openness and alternative stores (e.g., GOG).
- Cloud/streaming gaming as a likely but latency- and infrastructure-limited future.
Trust, boycotts, and reputation
- Sony is widely viewed as untrustworthy, with references to earlier incidents (DRM rootkit, PS3 Linux removal).
- Some advocate broad boycotts of Sony; others argue mass boycotts are unrealistic given consumer apathy and corporate scale.
- Several emphasize that repeated incidents across companies show a systemic problem in digital media economics, not just a single bad actor.