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While privacy concerns have arisen previously with Microsoft over the inclusion of Kinect, Sony has expanded upon what data they can record in an effort to combat griefers. In the updated Terms of Service, Sony outlines what information they can monitor:

14: Are we monitoring PSN?

14.1: Yes but we can’t monitor all PSN activity and we make no commitment to do so. However, we reserve the right in our sole discretion to monitor and record any or all of your PSN activity and to remove any of your UGM at our sole discretion, without further notice to you. Your use of PSN and our community features may be recorded and collected by us or sent to us by other users as described in 13.1. Any information collected in this way, for example, your UGM, the content of your voice and text communications, video of your gameplay, the time and location of your activities, and your name, your PSN Online ID and IP address, may be used by us or our affiliated companies to enforce these Terms and the SEN Terms of Service, to comply with the law, to protect our rights and those of our licensors and users, and to protect the personal safety of our employees and users. This information may be passed to the police or other appropriate authorities. By accepting these Software Usage Terms, you expressly consent to this.”

Sony has also outlined restrictions for those looking to monetize UGM (User-Generated Media). It seems without publisher permission, you won’t be able to. Furthermore, Sony reserves the right to use any gameplay footage in their own marketing material or for subscription-based services.

11. Creating and Sharing Online

11.1. UGM created and shared by you belong to you but we and, where applicable, the relevant Software publisher still have intellectual property rights in your UGM so you must not commercially exploit UGM without our consent and the consent of the Software publisher. 11.2. You authorise us and other PSN users, to use, distribute, copy, modify, display, and publish your UGM, your PSN Online ID (and, if you choose to use it, your name) throughout PSN, the Sony Entertainment Network and other associated services such as websites associated to the Software. You also authorise us, without payment to you, to license, sell and otherwise commercially exploit your UGM (for example, selling subscriptions to access your UGM (alone or in combination with other UGM) and/or receiving advertising revenue in connection with UGM), and to use your UGM in the promotion of PlayStation® products, Software and services. You recognise that we and other PSN users may alter your UGM and you waive any moral rights you may have in your UGM.”

You can read the entire updated Software Usage terms here.

What do you guys make of Sony’s attempts to stop greifing? Are they monitoring too much or not enough? Let us know in the comments below.