SonyGate settlement... we're all rich!

[SiegeTank]

By now everybody's received their e-mail about the settlement of the class action lawsuit against Sony for the breach of their website files back in 2011.

The lawyers receive (at least) $2.5million dollars and us players, whose data was endangered, GET $4.5O EACH IN STATION CASH.

And it could be even less if more people apply than they anticipate.

Any wonder why lawyers are the most hated profession in America?

I like how the settlement has the usual boilerplate that Sony doesn't admit to any wrongdoing, did not violate any laws or ethics and did not do "anything wrong."

How about leaving usernames and passwords in Unencrypted files, as they admitted to doing. Ain't that just plain WRONG?

 

[JimJohnson]

By now everybody's received their e-mail about the settlement of the class action lawsuit against Sony for the breach of their website files back in 2011.

The lawyers receive (at least) $2.5million dollars and us players, whose data was endangered, GET $4.5O EACH IN STATION CASH.

And it could be even less if more people apply than they anticipate.

Any wonder why lawyers are the most hated profession in America?

I like how the settlement has the usual boilerplate that Sony doesn't admit to any wrongdoing, did not violate any laws or ethics and did not do "anything wrong."

How about leaving usernames and passwords in Unencrypted files, as they admitted to doing. Ain't that just plain WRONG?

They did not steal, they miss handled yes. But they did not make the other people steal from you.

I see it no different then you leaving your door unlocked and someone stealing your belongings. You left the door open yes. But you did not force that person to steal from you.

Simple fact is you agreed to let them put your information online knowing that nothing online is safe.

 

[eqmule]

If I understood the settlement terms correctly,if you join, they will close your soe account and then give you 450 station cash,no idea how you are gonna use that sc when account is closed, but im not fluent in weasel speech so..., anyway I don't think its worth the hassle and ultimately if they close your station account doesn't that mean you lose your characters as well?

Be very careful before you make any decision about this so you know what you are in for.
Read the fineprint.

 

[SiegeTank]

JJ, I don't get your point. Sure they didn't steal but did they DO SOMETHING WRONG? Surely storing confidential info of their customers in a blatantly insecure form is doing something wrong.

EQMule, where did you see that they close your account? I didn't dig deep enough to see that but, man, that would suck. EDIT: I looked at the claims form and you didn't read it all. You have a choice of filing a claim and closing your Sony "wallet" (whatever that is, I don't have one) or filing the claim to your Station account, in which case the SC gets added to your balance and I see no evidence they close it.

They do say that the settlement is PER PERSON and not PER ACCOUNT. So if you have 12 game accounts you get just one $4.50 SC settlement.

!!!!!!

This is so lame I almost wonder if it's a bad joke....

It's not April 1st yet, is it?

 

[[40oz]]

The problem is defining what 'DO SOMETHING WRONG?' is, in the terms of the law.

In the terms of computer security, yes, storing usernames and passwords unencrypted is terrible and by general consensus can be considered wrong.

To make a legal case for that is a different argument entirely...

 

[zdozbou]

and closing your Sony "wallet" (whatever that is, I don't have one)

Every Station account has a Wallet. To view the balance of your wallet, log into your account at station.sony.com then click the little Station Cash Icon at the top of the page. It'll take you to a page with the text "Your current wallet balance of Station Cash is:", and display your accounts current wallet balance.

 

[SiegeTank]

Then I am confused about the two options on the settlement application. One does seem to close an account and the other does not. Like the poster above I don't understand how SC is of any value if they close your account too.

/ponder

 

[zdozbou]

I could be wrong, but this is the way I understand it:

Option 1: Close your account, and receive real money for the balance in your wallet. I -think- this option is only available if you have not logged into your account since the security breach (thus you have quit directly because of the breach).

Option 2: You HAVE logged in since the breach, thus you can sign on with the class action lawsuit and receive 450SC. Your account will not be closed.

Again, this could be wrong, but after reading it this is how I am understanding it.

 

[n00bsgoboom]

That email was real? lol. I deleted it already. RIP $4.50

 

[Kkthnx]

I thought that email was spam. Had it through on several email addresses. I just dismissed it as I cant even buy a beer with $4.50....

 

[SiegeTank]

It's real.



And lame.

 

[Chuckles]

I had my credit card info stolen as part of this and a bunch of fraudulent charges run. I didn't end up paying anything, but I certainly feel like all the time I spent dealing with it is worth more than $4.50.

 

[zdozbou]

This settlement unfortunately has little to do with the customers, and everything to do with lining the pockets of the lawyers.

 

[Zinky]

Welcome to the joys of class action settlements.

- People who had no harm down to them (other than the loss of playing time, which SOE at least tried to do something for with the 'pick a loot' card, etc.) get something which is petty miniscule, and not really necessary

- People who did experience a lot of hassle get something that is nothing near compensating them for the trouble this cost them (and in something with no real fungible value, either - they can't use it for anything other than more SOE pixels)

- and the lawyers 'negotiating' it get, well, not quite enough to retire on (depending on how many people were involved in the case), compensation probably far, far in excess of what they would have gotten for the same number of hours spent doing their 'normal' legal gigs.

Meanwhile the 'justice' system, throwing its hands up at trying to determine who really determines compensation (those with identities stolen, credit fraud, etc.) throws its hands up and thinks 'well, at least some penalty will encourage SOE to try to be more careful with customer information in the future.

Slick move on SOE's part, though - offer compensation in 'company script' (SC), which will cost them some real $$ in reduced SC sales, but not nearly as much as if they had to pay out real cash to everyone.

 

[SiegeTank]

I had my credit card info stolen as part of this and a bunch of fraudulent charges run. I didn't end up paying anything, but I certainly feel like all the time I spent dealing with it is worth more than $4.50.

U got a legit claim, man. File it! This settlement has money available and maybe you can argue the value of your time! Worth a shot! Be nice to see someone other than lawyers get some green!