PlayStation Network: What Are We Agreeing To Now?

End user license agreements, who reads 'em? If I wanted to read, I watch a movie with subtitles. Occasionally, however, it's important to take note of what exactly you're agreeing to when you hastily click the "Accept" button. A few recent changes to the PlayStation Network terms of service and user agreement are worth mentioning, we think, especially the one that reads "SCEA reserves the right to monitor and record any online activity and communication throughout PSN and you give SCEA your express consent to monitor and record your activities." But wait, there's more! There's some good stuff related to your personal information, which SCEA wants you to know can be shared with third parties. The new user agreement specifies "SCEA may provide others, including but not limited to its subsidiaries or affiliates, with information relating to your participation on PSN, including your communication and game play provided through PSN ("Information")." And speaking of personal info, don't share it with anyone. "You may not provide anyone with your name or any other personally identifying information other than your own Online ID, or the name, password or personally identifying information of any other person or business through any means, including messaging, chat or any other form of PSN communication." Finally, a warning. "Some content may be objectionable or inappropriate to some users, including children under a certain age, which may vary from country to country" reads the latest version of the agreement, which points out that "not all content is rated." While most of this stuff isn't uncommon for user agreements, which are broad in their wording by design, it's definitely worth knowing what you're signing up for. Some of the recent changes may simply be clarifications, some may be increased protection as games like LittleBigPlanet, which will be rich with user generated content that many people will find offensive, arrive on the system. We'd recommend not panicking or fashioning yourself a new tinfoil hat, but instead giving this thing some eyeball time. PLAYSTATION®NETWORK TERMS OF SERVICE AND USER AGREEMENT [PlayStation.com - thanks, Albert!]