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Sony proposes settlement to PSN hack litigation

By | Published on Monday 28 July 2014

Sony Playstation Network

Remember that time when Sony’s PlayStation Network was hacked in a major way? Remember? Go on, that time. Yeah, that’s right, that time.

Anyway, the hack that forced the PSN and Sony’s streaming music platform offline, as hackers helped themselves to the personal information of the service’s customers, occurred back in 2011. But litigation relating to the downtime data grab – which didn’t include credit card numbers – is ongoing.

And last week Sony proposed a $15 million settlement to the class action lawsuit that emerged from the various bits of litigation against Sony over the hack.

According to The Register, the firm will mainly compensate affected customers with freebies, including a free game from a list of fourteen, three months of the PlayStation Plus service gratis and, for those locked out of what is now Music Unlimited during the hack, a month’s free membership. Though those who can prove that personal information such as passwords was stolen during the hacking may also be eligible for a cash payment of up to $2500.

There will be some limits on how many people can claim the freebies and cash, and perhaps most importantly Sony will not specifically accept any responsibility for the collapse of their gaming and entertainment network, presumably to prevent any further litigation being pursued citing this settlement as precedent.

A US judge will now have to approve the proposed settlement before any customers who qualify under the terms of the original class action can claim their free stuff.



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