Read the EULA sometime on a game you “own” on steam (or any platform for that matter).
Almost without a doubt you’re being granted a license to one copy of the game used the way they say it can be used. Most of the licenses are revokable for violating the conditions, many just outright say “hey we can take this away at any time for any reason and you can suck it” which is in a legal gray area I suppose.
As far as how it’s legal, you don’t have to do business with any of these various entities and you’re agreeing to their terms when you get their product. Plus, like you said, there is very little consumer protections in place.
I agree we need more consumer protections on general and particularly for digital purchases. However, at least in the USA, the prevailing political winds are heavily in favor of companies and anti consumer. The Trump admin basically dismantled the bureau of consumer protection so … That should tell you their priorities.
It’s literally because of consumer protection laws. GDPR requires the deletion of unused data, to ensure companies aren’t just holding onto your data indefinitely. This is simply the consequence of that, because Sony has apparently determined that three years is enough of a threshold to be considered “unused”.
Because it isn’t a lie. Companies need to justify why they are retaining personal information after they stop using it. If they can’t justify it, they need to delete it.
And you think Sony is going to put their neck on the line to try and argue that keeping old unused accounts open is a justifiable reason? They have literally zero incentive to do so, and a large profit incentive to delete accounts as soon as they can reasonably argue that they are too old. Because that will push people towards re-buying games they already purchased once before.
It really reveals the nature of your purchase, doesn’t it? Apparently you are just buying some entries in a database. Sadly any software we can’t use offline can just be deleted like this. The pendulum swung too far towards the cloud, hopefully it comes back down to earth soon.
GDPR isn’t new, and no company was forced to do that.
Might as well block the highway with my car saying that the law forces me to do that, because I cannot pass cars on the left lane, and I point to the “right” lane (opposite direction traffic) on the other side of the barrier.
But good news, according to EU regulations you should just a toilet in your house, you are meant to spew shite into it.
how is that even legal?
we need better consumer protection for digital purchases.
Read the EULA sometime on a game you “own” on steam (or any platform for that matter).
Almost without a doubt you’re being granted a license to one copy of the game used the way they say it can be used. Most of the licenses are revokable for violating the conditions, many just outright say “hey we can take this away at any time for any reason and you can suck it” which is in a legal gray area I suppose.
As far as how it’s legal, you don’t have to do business with any of these various entities and you’re agreeing to their terms when you get their product. Plus, like you said, there is very little consumer protections in place.
I agree we need more consumer protections on general and particularly for digital purchases. However, at least in the USA, the prevailing political winds are heavily in favor of companies and anti consumer. The Trump admin basically dismantled the bureau of consumer protection so … That should tell you their priorities.
I know, no digital purchase actually has the product, just a license, unless you get a drm free product.
It’s literally because of consumer protection laws. GDPR requires the deletion of unused data, to ensure companies aren’t just holding onto your data indefinitely. This is simply the consequence of that, because Sony has apparently determined that three years is enough of a threshold to be considered “unused”.
Why lie about something like this?
Because it isn’t a lie. Companies need to justify why they are retaining personal information after they stop using it. If they can’t justify it, they need to delete it.
And you think Sony is going to put their neck on the line to try and argue that keeping old unused accounts open is a justifiable reason? They have literally zero incentive to do so, and a large profit incentive to delete accounts as soon as they can reasonably argue that they are too old. Because that will push people towards re-buying games they already purchased once before.
It absolutely is a lie.
It really reveals the nature of your purchase, doesn’t it? Apparently you are just buying some entries in a database. Sadly any software we can’t use offline can just be deleted like this. The pendulum swung too far towards the cloud, hopefully it comes back down to earth soon.
yhea, that is 100% bullshit.
GDPR isn’t new, and no company was forced to do that.
Might as well block the highway with my car saying that the law forces me to do that, because I cannot pass cars on the left lane, and I point to the “right” lane (opposite direction traffic) on the other side of the barrier.
But good news, according to EU regulations you should just a toilet in your house, you are meant to spew shite into it.