In a 8.00 PS4 update today, players must agree to have their voice chats monitored for moderation purposes. It’s a gross breach of privacy and fans are understandably upset.
Fans noticed that upon downloading PS4 update 8.00, they were greeted by a message telling them that voice chats can now be recorded and subject to moderation. Not only that, but anyone that uses the PS4 party chat system has to agree to their voice being recorded.
Check It Out: Sony PS4 Update Will Monitor Your Party Chats
Wait, seriously? Guess this is Sony’s way of deprecating PS Party Chat and encouraging everyone to use Discord.
Ah, apparently the PS5 will allow you to record party chat and send complaints and snippets to Sony. I’m not sure that is a good thing either. In any case, Discord doesn’t do that, although you can potentially record Discord chats as well (e.g. using Audio Hijack.)
These companies are idiots. First it’s Orwellian and wrong. Second, this kind of monitoring activity will expose the companies to liability and will end up stripping their DMCA 230 protection. Just dumb dumb dumb and wrong wrong wrong.