Straight from the book of "how to destroy your image and kill all your PR efforts in one sentence," Sony changed the PlayStation Network terms of service to include a clause that users can't file any class-action lawsuits against it unless it approves beforehand.
A new section that has been added to the T.O.S. this week, titled "Binding Individual Arbitration," reads as follows:
"Any Dispute Resolution Proceedings, whether in arbitration or court, will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class or representative action or as a named or unnamed member in a class, consolidated, representative or private attorney general action."
The section goes on to explain that users are no allowed to file or join a class-action lawsuit "unless both you and the Sony entity with which you have a dispute specifically agree to do so in writing following initiation of the arbitration."
The new T.O.S. however conceded that users who participated in class action suits against Sony before August 20th are not affected by the new ban.
People who don't like the new rules "may decline the TOS and Privacy Policy and we [Sony] will close your account and return your funds." Additionally, users are allowed to send Sony a written letter asking to opt-out of the no-class-action clause, but they have to do so within 30 days of accepting the new T.O.S.
Humorously enough, the new T.O.S. itself admits that it might be unenforceable. "If the Class Action Waiver clause is found to be illegal or unenforceable, this entire Section 15 will be unenforceable, and the dispute will be decided by a court and you and the Sony Entity you have a dispute with each agree to waive in that instance, to the fullest extent allowed by law, any trial by jury," one of its clauses reads.
The new T.O.S. comes just a few months after the Rothken law firm filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 77 million PSN users who were affected by Sony's famous security breach.