Sony deletes more movies from the accounts of people who ‘bought’ them
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Sony is deleting hundreds of movies and TV shows from PlayStation Store accounts due to lapsed licensing agreements.
Sony is removing 551 films and TV series from PlayStation Store accounts due to a licensing dispute with distributor StudioCanal, with deletion scheduled for September 1. This is the third such incident after similar removals in 2022 (Germany/Austria) and 2023 (US, after Discovery/Warner Bros. merger). No refunds are offered. The article argues that consumers are misled by the "buy" button into believing they own the content, when in reality they purchase a revocable license. The author calls for legal requirements to better inform consumers at the point of purchase.
What commenters are saying
Commenters express frustration that Sony can revoke access without refunds, calling it theft and arguing it fuels piracy. Several note that the "buy" button is misleading, and that the license terms are buried in EULAs. One commenter suggests a legal mandate for refunds when access is withdrawn. Another points out that game developers on PlayStation are contractually required to maintain redownload rights, implying Sony could have secured similar terms for movies but chose not to. A few recommend ripping purchased media to personal servers as a countermeasure.