Consumer Rights Wiki - User contributions [en]

Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation

2025-02-01T03:17:43Z

Post: Added an image of the Crunchyroll notification of service changes with appropriate descriptor text included in the body.

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Sony finalized its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021 after an extended antitrust review by the US Department of Justice.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/funimation-crunchyroll-big-anime-era-is-here/</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/24/22349203/doj-crunchyroll-investigation-sony-att</ref> After a year of operations under Sony, On March 1st, 2022, an announcement was made informing users that the site would be consolidated into Crunchyroll as a part of the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. <ref>https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/crunchyroll-adds-funimation-anime-sony-1235192876/</ref>

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/</ref>

==''"Forever" Digital Content License Revocation''==
[[File:Funimation service update Emma Roth Verge.webp|alt=Crunchyroll's "service update" indicating the changes in price and the dates on which price changes would take effect. As published by Emma Roth in her The Verge article Funimation is shutting down — and taking your digital library with it.|right|frameless|741x741px]]
On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/</ref> Users were notified in advance that In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll. Notably absent from the notification, was any indication that existing digital content that had been purchased would be inaccessible in Crunchyroll.

===Funimation's response===
Crunchyroll created a help article with information on the end of Funimation and answers to common questions about what would happen to digital copies and subscriptions.<ref name=":0" /> On the topic of revoking access to Funimation digital copies, the site provided the following guidance:<blockquote>'''What happened to my Funimation Digital copies?'''

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These digital copies were exclusive content available in DVD and Blu-ray form directly purchased from Funimation's former platform.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be available. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding, and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Crunchyroll's president at the time, Rahul Purini replied to the controversy in an interview on February 26th, 2024 with The Verge:<blockquote>Just to set some context, Nilay, this is, at Funimation, what we used to call digital copies. So for our customers that bought our physical home video collectible sets, we added an add-on to those collectible sets where they could redeem a digital copy within the Funimation platform so that they could have access to a digital version of that same show.

That was a feature that was built into the Funimation platform. And as we look at usage of that and the number of people that were redeeming those and using them, it was just not a feature that was available in Crunchyroll and isn’t in our road map.

And so as we announced the sunset of Funimation, the users that had bought those physical home videos will not be able to have access to the digital copies on the Crunchyroll service. I will say these are customers that we value a lot, and we are working really hard directly with each one of them to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24081180/crunchyroll-president-purini-anime-funimation-shutdown-sony-merger-decoder-interview</ref></blockquote>Some users reported that they were able to get 3 months of Crunchyroll premium for free if they submitted a ticket.<ref name=":3">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation#comments</ref>

==Consumer impact==
Users with previous "forever" accessible digital content had all access and rights revoked, and were forced into paying for a Crunchyroll premium subscription if they wanted to continue to access content, with no guarantee that their previously paid-for content would be available on the platform.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
Generally, users were outspoken against this, with many popular news outlets creating articles about the monopolistic and anti-consumer actions that were a result of the merger.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAwaV7B2Hwo</ref>

==References==

===Text References===
{{reflist}}

==='''Video References'''===
<references group="Video References" />
[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

File:Funimation service update Emma Roth Verge.webp

2025-02-01T03:12:47Z

Post: Source: Emma Roth, the Verge https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25274094/funimation_service_update.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750

== Summary ==
Source:
Emma Roth, the Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library
https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25274094/funimation_service_update.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750

Inclusion of forced arbitration in Crunchyroll January 2025 TOS update

2025-02-01T02:57:31Z

Post: removed duplicate reference.

On Thursday, January 30th, Crunchyroll emailed US users of its server about an update to its terms of service through email and notifications on login. There were two main updates to the terms of service - a class action-lawsuit waiver, and an update to account usage guidelines. The messaging about these changes did not mention any means of opting out of these changes or give any warning - they are effective as soon as users click continue on the site or continue to use the service.

==Background==
Crunchyroll is a US-based media-streaming platform owned by [[Sony]] that specializes in east-asian media. users can opt to pay for different tiers of premium access to animated content. Users have to agree to the terms of service to continue to use the streaming platform.

On January 30th, 2025 users were informed that the terms of use were changing via email and messages upon logging into the site. In order to continue using the service, users would have to agree to the terms even if they were already paid members of the site.

The email users received indicated two vague changes to the terms of service:

#"We’ve provided additional details on the use of your account and the guidelines that help keep user accounts safe and sound."
#"We’ve updated the procedures for resolving disputes with us."

[[File:CrunchyRollTermsUpdateemailText.png|center|frameless|400x400px|The email that Crunchyroll sent to its US-based users on 01-30-2025 notifying them of the change of the terms of conditions.]]
Users may have also received a message when trying to login after the changes to the terms of service. Users are unable to continue to the site without clicking "Continue" to agree to the terms, even if they are a paid member, and are not given an opt-out option.
[[File:CrunchyRollLoginTerms.png|center|frameless|400x400px|The notification on Crunchyroll's site for US-based users on 01-30-2025 notifying them of the change of the terms of conditions and requiring them to click continue.]]

==''Terms of Service Update - Section 14''==
''Upon clicking the terms of use''<ref name=":02">https://www.crunchyroll.com/tos/?lid=l022q2vu4gh7</ref> ''link provided in the email, the user is greeted with a 23 page legal agreement with no indication of what exactly changed.''

''Reading into it the user would find that:''

#''By continuing to use the service they agree to all of the terms''
#''They can opt out of section 14, "Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver" by notifying Crunchyroll in writing''
#''Even if they opt out'' ''of section 14 of the terms, you cannot opt-out of the specific "Class Action Waiver" section - section d.''

The specific statements provided in the terms on these topics are as follows:<blockquote>"You may opt-out and not be bound by the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. To do so, you must notify Crunchyroll in writing no later than thirty (30) days of your acceptance of any update to these Terms of Use or your first use of the Service, whichever is later. Your notice must include your name and address, and the email address you used to set up your Crunchyroll account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt-out of this arbitration agreement. You must send your opt-out notice to one of the following physical or email addresses: Crunchyroll, LLC., ATTN: Arbitration Opt-out, 444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108; legal@crunchyroll.com. If you do not opt out, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. If you opt out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, you or we may exercise your or our right to a trial by jury or judge, as permitted by applicable law, but any prior existing agreement to arbitrate Disputes under a prior version of this Arbitration Agreement will not apply to claims not yet filed. Crunchyroll will continue to honor any valid opt outs if you opted out of arbitration in a prior version of the Arbitration Agreement pursuant to the requirements set forth in that version. If you opt-out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, Crunchyroll also will not be bound by them. Absent opt out, this Section 14 will survive the termination of your relationship with Crunchyroll."<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1">[[:File:CrunchyRollTerms 01-30-2025.pdf]]</ref></blockquote>The subtle note about not being able to opt-out of the class-action waiver (section d) that's hidden at the end of section f (Arbitration rules):<blockquote>Opt out of arbitration under this section shall not be construed as opt out of Section 14(d), “Class Action Waiver.” Absent notice of an opt-out, the arbitrations will proceed in the order determined by the sequential numbers assigned to demands in the Mass Filing.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /></blockquote>There is not a similar note about opting-out of the "class action waiver" in the actual section titled "Class Action Waiver"

Users were not provided with an easy option to opt-out or even an easy-to-review synopsis of changes to the terms.

The end of the terms indicates that anyone can contact Crunchyroll with questions or to obtain a copy:<blockquote>If you have questions about these Terms of Use or would like to request a copy of these Terms of Use or any other records relating to these Terms of Use or your use of the Site and Services, contact Crunchyroll at feedback@crunchyroll.com or by sending a written request to Crunchyroll, LLC. at ''444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108, Phone: (415) 796-3560''.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

===Sony's response===
Sony has not responded.

==Consumer impact==
On March 1st, 2025, existing users will no longer be able to opt-out and will be required to participate in binding arbitration if a dispute arises between the user and Crunchyroll, without an option to pursue a class-action suit. Users will also be required to reply within 30 days to any future changes to the terms of service with written opt-out of section 14 of the terms of service.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''

===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''

===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
''Summary and key issues of prevailing sentiment from the consumers that can be documented via articles, emails to support, reviews and forum posts.''

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Sony]]
[[Category:Incidents]]

Inclusion of forced arbitration in Crunchyroll January 2025 TOS update

2025-02-01T02:53:29Z

Post: Added categories.

On Thursday, January 30th, Crunchyroll emailed US users of its server about an update to its terms of service through email and notifications on login. There were two main updates to the terms of service - a class action-lawsuit waiver, and an update to account usage guidelines. The messaging about these changes did not mention any means of opting out of these changes or give any warning - they are effective as soon as users click continue on the site or continue to use the service.

==Background==
Crunchyroll is a US-based media-streaming platform owned by [[Sony]] that specializes in east-asian media. users can opt to pay for different tiers of premium access to animated content. Users have to agree to the terms of service to continue to use the streaming platform.

On January 30th, 2025 users were informed that the terms of use were changing via email and messages upon logging into the site. In order to continue using the service, users would have to agree to the terms even if they were already paid members of the site.

The email users received indicated two vague changes to the terms of service:

#"We’ve provided additional details on the use of your account and the guidelines that help keep user accounts safe and sound."
#"We’ve updated the procedures for resolving disputes with us."

[[File:CrunchyRollTermsUpdateemailText.png|center|frameless|400x400px|The email that Crunchyroll sent to its US-based users on 01-30-2025 notifying them of the change of the terms of conditions.]]
Users may have also received a message when trying to login after the changes to the terms of service. Users are unable to continue to the site without clicking "Continue" to agree to the terms, even if they are a paid member, and are not given an opt-out option.
[[File:CrunchyRollLoginTerms.png|center|frameless|400x400px|The notification on Crunchyroll's site for US-based users on 01-30-2025 notifying them of the change of the terms of conditions and requiring them to click continue.]]

==''Terms of Service Update - Section 14''==
''Upon clicking the terms of use''<ref name=":02">https://www.crunchyroll.com/tos/?lid=l022q2vu4gh7</ref> ''link provided in the email, the user is greeted with a 23 page legal agreement with no indication of what exactly changed.''

''Reading into it the user would find that:''

#''By continuing to use the service they agree to all of the terms''
#''They can opt out of section 14, "Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver" by notifying Crunchyroll in writing''
#''Even if they opt out'' <ref name=":0">[[:File:CrunchyRollTerms 01-30-2025.pdf]]</ref>''of section 14 of the terms, you cannot opt-out of the specific "Class Action Waiver" section - section d.''

The specific statements provided in the terms on these topics are as follows:<blockquote>"You may opt-out and not be bound by the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. To do so, you must notify Crunchyroll in writing no later than thirty (30) days of your acceptance of any update to these Terms of Use or your first use of the Service, whichever is later. Your notice must include your name and address, and the email address you used to set up your Crunchyroll account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt-out of this arbitration agreement. You must send your opt-out notice to one of the following physical or email addresses: Crunchyroll, LLC., ATTN: Arbitration Opt-out, 444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108; legal@crunchyroll.com. If you do not opt out, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. If you opt out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, you or we may exercise your or our right to a trial by jury or judge, as permitted by applicable law, but any prior existing agreement to arbitrate Disputes under a prior version of this Arbitration Agreement will not apply to claims not yet filed. Crunchyroll will continue to honor any valid opt outs if you opted out of arbitration in a prior version of the Arbitration Agreement pursuant to the requirements set forth in that version. If you opt-out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, Crunchyroll also will not be bound by them. Absent opt out, this Section 14 will survive the termination of your relationship with Crunchyroll."<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1">[[:File:CrunchyRollTerms 01-30-2025.pdf]]</ref></blockquote>The subtle note about not being able to opt-out of the class-action waiver (section d) that's hidden at the end of section f (Arbitration rules):<blockquote>Opt out of arbitration under this section shall not be construed as opt out of Section 14(d), “Class Action Waiver.” Absent notice of an opt-out, the arbitrations will proceed in the order determined by the sequential numbers assigned to demands in the Mass Filing.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /></blockquote>There is not a similar note about opting-out of the "class action waiver" in the actual section titled "Class Action Waiver"

Users were not provided with an easy option to opt-out or even an easy-to-review synopsis of changes to the terms.

The end of the terms indicates that anyone can contact Crunchyroll with questions or to obtain a copy:<blockquote>If you have questions about these Terms of Use or would like to request a copy of these Terms of Use or any other records relating to these Terms of Use or your use of the Site and Services, contact Crunchyroll at feedback@crunchyroll.com or by sending a written request to Crunchyroll, LLC. at ''444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108, Phone: (415) 796-3560''.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

===Sony's response===
Sony has not responded.

==Consumer impact==
On March 1st, 2025, existing users will no longer be able to opt-out and will be required to participate in binding arbitration if a dispute arises between the user and Crunchyroll, without an option to pursue a class-action suit. Users will also be required to reply within 30 days to any future changes to the terms of service with written opt-out of section 14 of the terms of service.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''

===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''<ref name=":0" />

===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
''Summary and key issues of prevailing sentiment from the consumers that can be documented via articles, emails to support, reviews and forum posts.''

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Sony]]
[[Category:Incidents]]

Inclusion of forced arbitration in Crunchyroll January 2025 TOS update

2025-02-01T02:39:43Z

Post: Added new images of the email and notification users received and added references to the uploaded PDF of the terms.

On Thursday, January 30th, Crunchyroll emailed US users of its server about an update to its terms of service through email and notifications on login. There were two main updates to the terms of service - a class action-lawsuit waiver, and an update to account usage guidelines. The messaging about these changes did not mention any means of opting out of these changes or give any warning - they are effective as soon as users click continue on the site or continue to use the service.

==Background==
Crunchyroll is a US-based media-streaming platform owned by [[Sony]] that specializes in east-asian media. users can opt to pay for different tiers of premium access to animated content. Users have to agree to the terms of service to continue to use the streaming platform.

On January 30th, 2025 users were informed that the terms of use were changing via email and messages upon logging into the site. In order to continue using the service, users would have to agree to the terms even if they were already paid members of the site.

The email users received indicated two vague changes to the terms of service:

# "We’ve provided additional details on the use of your account and the guidelines that help keep user accounts safe and sound."
# "We’ve updated the procedures for resolving disputes with us."

[[File:CrunchyRollTermsUpdateemailText.png|center|frameless|400x400px|The email that Crunchyroll sent to its US-based users on 01-30-2025 notifying them of the change of the terms of conditions.]]
Users may have also received a message when trying to login after the changes to the terms of service. Users are unable to continue to the site without clicking "Continue" to agree to the terms, even if they are a paid member, and are not given an opt-out option.
[[File:CrunchyRollLoginTerms.png|center|frameless|400x400px|The notification on Crunchyroll's site for US-based users on 01-30-2025 notifying them of the change of the terms of conditions and requiring them to click continue.]]

==''Terms of Service Update - Section 14''==
''Upon clicking the terms of use''<ref name=":02">https://www.crunchyroll.com/tos/?lid=l022q2vu4gh7</ref> ''link provided in the email, the user is greeted with a 23 page legal agreement with no indication of what exactly changed.''

''Reading into it the user would find that:''

# ''By continuing to use the service they agree to all of the terms''
# ''They can opt out of section 14, "Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver" by notifying Crunchyroll in writing''
# ''Even if they opt out'' <ref>[[:File:CrunchyRollTerms 01-30-2025.pdf]]</ref>''of section 14 of the terms, you cannot opt-out of the specific "Class Action Waiver" section - section d.''

The specific statements provided in the terms on these topics are as follows:<blockquote>"You may opt-out and not be bound by the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. To do so, you must notify Crunchyroll in writing no later than thirty (30) days of your acceptance of any update to these Terms of Use or your first use of the Service, whichever is later. Your notice must include your name and address, and the email address you used to set up your Crunchyroll account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt-out of this arbitration agreement. You must send your opt-out notice to one of the following physical or email addresses: Crunchyroll, LLC., ATTN: Arbitration Opt-out, 444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108; legal@crunchyroll.com. If you do not opt out, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. If you opt out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, you or we may exercise your or our right to a trial by jury or judge, as permitted by applicable law, but any prior existing agreement to arbitrate Disputes under a prior version of this Arbitration Agreement will not apply to claims not yet filed. Crunchyroll will continue to honor any valid opt outs if you opted out of arbitration in a prior version of the Arbitration Agreement pursuant to the requirements set forth in that version. If you opt-out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, Crunchyroll also will not be bound by them. Absent opt out, this Section 14 will survive the termination of your relationship with Crunchyroll."<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1">[[:File:CrunchyRollTerms 01-30-2025.pdf]]</ref></blockquote>The subtle note about not being able to opt-out of the class-action waiver (section d) that's hidden at the end of section f (Arbitration rules):<blockquote>Opt out of arbitration under this section shall not be construed as opt out of Section 14(d), “Class Action Waiver.” Absent notice of an opt-out, the arbitrations will proceed in the order determined by the sequential numbers assigned to demands in the Mass Filing.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /></blockquote>There is not a similar note about opting-out of the "class action waiver" in the actual section titled "Class Action Waiver"

Users were not provided with an easy option to opt-out or even an easy-to-review synopsis of changes to the terms.

The end of the terms indicates that anyone can contact Crunchyroll with questions or to obtain a copy:<blockquote>If you have questions about these Terms of Use or would like to request a copy of these Terms of Use or any other records relating to these Terms of Use or your use of the Site and Services, contact Crunchyroll at feedback@crunchyroll.com or by sending a written request to Crunchyroll, LLC. at ''444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108, Phone: (415) 796-3560''.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

===[Company]'s response===
''If applicable add the proposed solution to the issues by the company.''

==Consumer impact==
On March 1st, 2025, existing users will no longer be able to opt-out and will be required to participate in binding arbitration if a dispute arises between the user and Crunchyroll, without an option to pursue a class-action suit. Users will also be required to reply within 30 days to any future changes to the terms of service with written opt-out of section 14 of the terms of service.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''

===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''

===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
''Summary and key issues of prevailing sentiment from the consumers that can be documented via articles, emails to support, reviews and forum posts.''

==References==
<references />
[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

File:CrunchyRollLoginTerms.png

2025-02-01T01:45:18Z

Post: a picture of the Crunchyroll login screen they had for the new terms, as provided in the CAT discord by the user Kieran (mallax)

== Summary ==
a picture of the Crunchyroll login screen they had for the new terms, as provided in the CAT discord by the user Kieran (mallax)

File:CrunchyRollTermsUpdateemailText.png

2025-02-01T01:28:42Z

Post:

The email users received on January 30th.

File:CrunchyRollTerms 01-30-2025.pdf

2025-02-01T01:26:21Z

Post: Crunchyroll terms of service as of 01-30-2025.

== Summary ==
Crunchyroll terms of service as of 01-30-2025.

Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation

2025-02-01T01:25:40Z

Post: Created/Fixed the Video References grouping.

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Sony finalized its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021 after an extended antitrust review by the US Department of Justice.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/funimation-crunchyroll-big-anime-era-is-here/</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/24/22349203/doj-crunchyroll-investigation-sony-att</ref> After a year of operations under Sony, On March 1st, 2022, an announcement was made informing users that the site would be consolidated into Crunchyroll as a part of the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. <ref>https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/crunchyroll-adds-funimation-anime-sony-1235192876/</ref>

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/</ref>

==''"Forever" Digital Content License Revocation''==
On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/</ref> In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll.

===Funimation's response===
Crunchyroll created a help article with information on the end of Funimation and answers to common questions about what would happen to digital copies and subscriptions.<ref name=":0" /> On the topic of revoking access to Funimation digital copies, the site provided the following guidance:<blockquote>'''What happened to my Funimation Digital copies?'''

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These digital copies were exclusive content available in DVD and Blu-ray form directly purchased from Funimation's former platform.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be available. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding, and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Crunchyroll's president at the time, Rahul Purini replied to the controversy in an interview on February 26th, 2024 with The Verge:<blockquote>Just to set some context, Nilay, this is, at Funimation, what we used to call digital copies. So for our customers that bought our physical home video collectible sets, we added an add-on to those collectible sets where they could redeem a digital copy within the Funimation platform so that they could have access to a digital version of that same show.

That was a feature that was built into the Funimation platform. And as we look at usage of that and the number of people that were redeeming those and using them, it was just not a feature that was available in Crunchyroll and isn’t in our road map.

And so as we announced the sunset of Funimation, the users that had bought those physical home videos will not be able to have access to the digital copies on the Crunchyroll service. I will say these are customers that we value a lot, and we are working really hard directly with each one of them to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24081180/crunchyroll-president-purini-anime-funimation-shutdown-sony-merger-decoder-interview</ref></blockquote>Some users reported that they were able to get 3 months of Crunchyroll premium for free if they submitted a ticket.<ref name=":3">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation#comments</ref>

==Consumer impact==
Users with previous "forever" accessible digital content had all access and rights revoked, and were forced into paying for a Crunchyroll premium subscription if they wanted to continue to access content, with no guarantee that their previously paid-for content would be available on the platform.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
Generally, users were outspoken against this, with many popular news outlets creating articles about the monopolistic and anti-consumer actions that were a result of the merger.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAwaV7B2Hwo</ref>

==References==

===Text References===
{{reflist}}

==='''Video References'''===
<references group="Video References" />
[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation

2025-02-01T01:24:27Z

Post:

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Sony finalized its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021 after an extended antitrust review by the US Department of Justice.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/funimation-crunchyroll-big-anime-era-is-here/</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/24/22349203/doj-crunchyroll-investigation-sony-att</ref> After a year of operations under Sony, On March 1st, 2022, an announcement was made informing users that the site would be consolidated into Crunchyroll as a part of the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. <ref>https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/crunchyroll-adds-funimation-anime-sony-1235192876/</ref>

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/</ref>

==''"Forever" Digital Content License Revocation''==
On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/</ref> In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll.

===Funimation's response===
Crunchyroll created a help article with information on the end of Funimation and answers to common questions about what would happen to digital copies and subscriptions.<ref name=":0" /> On the topic of revoking access to Funimation digital copies, the site provided the following guidance:<blockquote>'''What happened to my Funimation Digital copies?'''

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These digital copies were exclusive content available in DVD and Blu-ray form directly purchased from Funimation's former platform.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be available. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding, and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Crunchyroll's president at the time, Rahul Purini replied to the controversy in an interview on February 26th, 2024 with The Verge:<blockquote>Just to set some context, Nilay, this is, at Funimation, what we used to call digital copies. So for our customers that bought our physical home video collectible sets, we added an add-on to those collectible sets where they could redeem a digital copy within the Funimation platform so that they could have access to a digital version of that same show.

That was a feature that was built into the Funimation platform. And as we look at usage of that and the number of people that were redeeming those and using them, it was just not a feature that was available in Crunchyroll and isn’t in our road map.

And so as we announced the sunset of Funimation, the users that had bought those physical home videos will not be able to have access to the digital copies on the Crunchyroll service. I will say these are customers that we value a lot, and we are working really hard directly with each one of them to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24081180/crunchyroll-president-purini-anime-funimation-shutdown-sony-merger-decoder-interview</ref></blockquote>Some users reported that they were able to get 3 months of Crunchyroll premium for free if they submitted a ticket.<ref name=":3">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation#comments</ref>

==Consumer impact==
Users with previous "forever" accessible digital content had all access and rights revoked, and were forced into paying for a Crunchyroll premium subscription if they wanted to continue to access content, with no guarantee that their previously paid-for content would be available on the platform.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
Generally, users were outspoken against this, with many popular news outlets creating articles about the monopolistic and anti-consumer actions that were a result of the merger.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />

==References==

=== Text References ===
{{reflist}}

=== '''Video References''' ===
<references group="Video References" />
[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation

2025-02-01T01:17:58Z

Post:

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Sony finalized its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021 after an extended antitrust review by the US Department of Justice.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/funimation-crunchyroll-big-anime-era-is-here/</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/24/22349203/doj-crunchyroll-investigation-sony-att</ref> After a year of operations under Sony, On March 1st, 2022, an announcement was made informing users that the site would be consolidated into Crunchyroll as a part of the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. <ref>https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/crunchyroll-adds-funimation-anime-sony-1235192876/</ref>

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/</ref>

==''"Forever" Digital Content License Revocation''==
On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/</ref> In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll.

===Funimation's response===
Crunchyroll created a help article with information on the end of Funimation and answers to common questions about what would happen to digital copies and subscriptions.<ref name=":0" /> On the topic of revoking access to Funimation digital copies, the site provided the following guidance:<blockquote>'''What happened to my Funimation Digital copies?'''

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These digital copies were exclusive content available in DVD and Blu-ray form directly purchased from Funimation's former platform.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be available. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding, and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Crunchyroll's president at the time, Rahul Purini replied to the controversy in an interview on February 26th, 2024 with The Verge:<blockquote>Just to set some context, Nilay, this is, at Funimation, what we used to call digital copies. So for our customers that bought our physical home video collectible sets, we added an add-on to those collectible sets where they could redeem a digital copy within the Funimation platform so that they could have access to a digital version of that same show.

That was a feature that was built into the Funimation platform. And as we look at usage of that and the number of people that were redeeming those and using them, it was just not a feature that was available in Crunchyroll and isn’t in our road map.

And so as we announced the sunset of Funimation, the users that had bought those physical home videos will not be able to have access to the digital copies on the Crunchyroll service. I will say these are customers that we value a lot, and we are working really hard directly with each one of them to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24081180/crunchyroll-president-purini-anime-funimation-shutdown-sony-merger-decoder-interview</ref></blockquote>Some users reported that they were able to get 3 months of Crunchyroll premium for free if they submitted a ticket.<ref name=":3">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation#comments</ref>

==Consumer impact==
Users with previous "forever" accessible digital content had all access and rights revoked, and were forced into paying for a Crunchyroll premium subscription if they wanted to continue to access content, with no guarantee that their previously paid-for content would be available on the platform.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
Generally, users were outspoken against this, with many popular news outlets creating articles about the monopolistic and anti-consumer actions that were a result of the merger.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAwaV7B2Hwo</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}Video References
[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation

2025-02-01T01:17:28Z

Post: Added a link to a Youtube video that covers this controversy in some detail.

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Sony finalized its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021 after an extended antitrust review by the US Department of Justice.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/funimation-crunchyroll-big-anime-era-is-here/</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/24/22349203/doj-crunchyroll-investigation-sony-att</ref> After a year of operations under Sony, On March 1st, 2022, an announcement was made informing users that the site would be consolidated into Crunchyroll as a part of the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. <ref>https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/crunchyroll-adds-funimation-anime-sony-1235192876/</ref>

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/</ref>

==''"Forever" Digital Content License Revocation''==
On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/</ref> In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll.

===Funimation's response===
Crunchyroll created a help article with information on the end of Funimation and answers to common questions about what would happen to digital copies and subscriptions.<ref name=":0" /> On the topic of revoking access to Funimation digital copies, the site provided the following guidance:<blockquote>'''What happened to my Funimation Digital copies?'''

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These digital copies were exclusive content available in DVD and Blu-ray form directly purchased from Funimation's former platform.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be available. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding, and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Crunchyroll's president at the time, Rahul Purini replied to the controversy in an interview on February 26th, 2024 with The Verge:<blockquote>Just to set some context, Nilay, this is, at Funimation, what we used to call digital copies. So for our customers that bought our physical home video collectible sets, we added an add-on to those collectible sets where they could redeem a digital copy within the Funimation platform so that they could have access to a digital version of that same show.

That was a feature that was built into the Funimation platform. And as we look at usage of that and the number of people that were redeeming those and using them, it was just not a feature that was available in Crunchyroll and isn’t in our road map.

And so as we announced the sunset of Funimation, the users that had bought those physical home videos will not be able to have access to the digital copies on the Crunchyroll service. I will say these are customers that we value a lot, and we are working really hard directly with each one of them to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24081180/crunchyroll-president-purini-anime-funimation-shutdown-sony-merger-decoder-interview</ref></blockquote>Some users reported that they were able to get 3 months of Crunchyroll premium for free if they submitted a ticket.<ref name=":3">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation#comments</ref>

==Consumer impact==
Users with previous "forever" accessible digital content had all access and rights revoked, and were forced into paying for a Crunchyroll premium subscription if they wanted to continue to access content, with no guarantee that their previously paid-for content would be available on the platform.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
Generally, users were outspoken against this, with many popular news outlets creating articles about the monopolistic and anti-consumer actions that were a result of the merger.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAwaV7B2Hwo</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

Sony

2025-02-01T01:08:52Z

Post: Added sources for the background on Sony.

{{StubNotice}}

{{clear}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = SONY
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1946
| Industry = Conglomerate
| Official Website = https://sony.com/
| Logo = Sony.svg
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Sony|Sony Group Corporation]]''' is a Japanese Zaibatsu (or mega corporation) headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.<ref>"[https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/ Access & Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416150015/https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/|date=2021-04-16}}." Sony Global. Retrieved 2 April 2021. "1–7–1 Konan Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0075, Japan" – [https://web.archive.org/web/20120227050438/http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/map_head_office.pdf Map] – [https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/SMOJ-info/Profile.html Address in Japanese] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926182046/https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/SMOJ-info/Profile.html|date=2023-09-26}}: "〒108-0075 東京都港区港南1–7–1"</ref> The Sony Group Corporation owns over 100 companies including, but not limited to Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony Entertainment (including Sony Pictures and Sony Music Group), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Financial Group, Crunchyroll, and Bungie.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_acquisitions_by_Sony</ref>

Sony was established in 1946 as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita.<ref name=":0">https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/</ref> The young company distinguished itself in the consumer electronics market with transistor radios, home video tape recorders, portable audio players called the Walkman, and compact disk players.<ref>https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/SonyHistory/</ref><ref name=":0" /> In 1988, Sony acquired CBS Records.<ref name=":1">https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/History/company/</ref> Later, in 1989 it acquired Columbia Pictures<ref name=":1" />. The company also introduced the home video game console [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] in 1994.<ref name=":1" />

==='''Different products with systemic problems'''===

#[[Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds]]
#[[Sony x900h television]]
#Sony WH-1000XM5

==Controversies==

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Sony BMG CD copy protection rootkit
|2005
|Sony BMG distributed about 20 million disks preloaded with copy protection software that tracks the users listening habits (even if the user did not agree to the EULA), hides itself, and introduces exploitable bugs, as such it has been classified as a rootkit.
Furthermore, they released an uninstaller tool later that merely unhides the their original rootkit and installs more unremovable software, all while extracting more personal information (Email addresses) from users.
|Class action lawsuits in 2005-2006 forced Sony to recall about 10% of affected CDs. Sony stopped their copy protection attempts in 2007.
|https://en.m.wikinews.org/wiki/Sony%27s_DRM_protected_CDs_install_Windows_rootkits
[https://fsfe.org/activities/drm/sony-rootkit-fiasco.en.html#restrictions-pictures https://fsfe.org/activities/drm/sony-rootkit-fiasco.en.html]
https://web.archive.org/web/20081224153240/http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html
|
|-
|PlayStation Store Shutdown
|2021
|Sony intended to shut down the PlayStation Store on its PS3, PS Vita, and PSP consoles, despite many of the content offerings not being available on newer consoles.
|Sony walked back the decision for the PS3 and PS Vita, citing the negative response from customers.<ref>https://blog.playstation.com/2021/04/19/playstation-store-on-ps3-and-ps-vita-will-continue-operations/</ref>
|
|
|-
|Removal of Discovery titles
|2023
|Sony intended to remove customers' access to "purchased" Discovery Channel content at the end of their licensing agreements.
|Sony reversed the decision, allowing customers to continue accessing the content. <ref>https://www.playstation.com/en-us/legal/psvideocontent/</ref>
|
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bpzyz5kf_A</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krXH8jXefqE</ref>
|-
|Helldivers 2 PSN Account Requirement
|2024
|Sony added a PSN account requirement for Helldivers 2 after the game had become popular, including in countries where you can't create a PSN account.
|The requirement was removed <ref>https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/4196868529806518741</ref> , however the game was removed from sale in countries without PSN. <ref>https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-gets-delisted-in-more-countries-without-psn-access-blindsided-devs-call-for-it-to-be-available-worldwide/</ref>
|
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2VA0eum6w4</ref>
|-
|Revocation of "Forever" licenses to Funimation digital content
|2024
|After merging Funimation with Crunchyroll, Sony revoked all licenses to digital content that had been advertised as "forever" licenses without providing a refund or reimbursement.
|Some users received free months of service for the new Crunchyroll platform, but only if they submitted a ticket.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation?commentID=56ddc90f-8d10-4a23-ac26-16c3557b59b8</ref>
|[[Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation]]
|
|-
|Crunchyroll January 2025 Terms of Service Update
|2025
|Sony forced users of Crunchyroll into binding arbitration by updating their terms of service and without providing an easy way to opt-out.
|TBD
|[[Crunchyroll January 2025 Terms of Service Update]]
|
|}

==References==
<references />
<references group="Video References" />

[[Category:Sony]]
[[Category:Computer companies]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer storage companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Display technology companies]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]
[[Category:Headphones manufacturers]]
[[Category:Lens manufacturers]]
[[Category:Loudspeaker manufacturers]]
[[Category:Microphone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Netbook manufacturers]]
[[Category:Photography equipment manufacturers]]
[[Category:Portable audio player manufacturers]]
[[Category:Radio manufacturers]]
[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Video equipment manufacturers]]

Sony

2025-02-01T00:52:20Z

Post: /* Controversies */ Adding two new incidents that were created for Crunchyroll & Funimation.

{{StubNotice}}

{{clear}}

{{InfoboxCompany
| Name = SONY
| Type = Public
| Founded = 1946
| Industry = Conglomerate
| Official Website = https://sony.com/
| Logo = Sony.svg
}}
'''[[wikipedia:Sony|Sony Group Corporation]]''' is a Japanese Zaibatsu (or mega corporation) headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.<ref>"[https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/ Access & Map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416150015/https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/|date=2021-04-16}}." Sony Global. Retrieved 2 April 2021. "1–7–1 Konan Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0075, Japan" – [https://web.archive.org/web/20120227050438/http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/Data/Map/map_head_office.pdf Map] – [https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/SMOJ-info/Profile.html Address in Japanese] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926182046/https://www.sony.jp/CorporateCruise/SMOJ-info/Profile.html|date=2023-09-26}}: "〒108-0075 東京都港区港南1–7–1"</ref> The Sony Group owns Sony Corporation, Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Sony Entertainment (including Sony Pictures and Sony Music Group), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Financial Group, among others.

Sony was established in 1946 as Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita. The young company distinguished itself in the consumer electronics market with transistor radios, home video tape recorders, portable audio players called the Walkman, and compact disk players. In 1988, Sony acquired CBS Records. Later, in 1989 it acquired Columbia Pictures. The company also introduced the home video game console [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] in 1994.

==='''Different products with systemic problems'''===

#[[Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds]]
#[[Sony x900h television]]
#Sony WH-1000XM5

==Controversies==

{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Controversy
!Year
!Background Info
!Aftermath
!Related Article
!Related Video(s)
|-
|Sony BMG CD copy protection rootkit
|2005
|Sony BMG distributed about 20 million disks preloaded with copy protection software that tracks the users listening habits (even if the user did not agree to the EULA), hides itself, and introduces exploitable bugs, as such it has been classified as a rootkit.
Furthermore, they released an uninstaller tool later that merely unhides the their original rootkit and installs more unremovable software, all while extracting more personal information (Email addresses) from users.
|Class action lawsuits in 2005-2006 forced Sony to recall about 10% of affected CDs. Sony stopped their copy protection attempts in 2007.
|https://en.m.wikinews.org/wiki/Sony%27s_DRM_protected_CDs_install_Windows_rootkits
[https://fsfe.org/activities/drm/sony-rootkit-fiasco.en.html#restrictions-pictures https://fsfe.org/activities/drm/sony-rootkit-fiasco.en.html]
https://web.archive.org/web/20081224153240/http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/titles.html
|
|-
|PlayStation Store Shutdown
|2021
|Sony intended to shut down the PlayStation Store on its PS3, PS Vita, and PSP consoles, despite many of the content offerings not being available on newer consoles.
|Sony walked back the decision for the PS3 and PS Vita, citing the negative response from customers.<ref>https://blog.playstation.com/2021/04/19/playstation-store-on-ps3-and-ps-vita-will-continue-operations/</ref>
|
|
|-
|Removal of Discovery titles
|2023
|Sony intended to remove customers' access to "purchased" Discovery Channel content at the end of their licensing agreements.
|Sony reversed the decision, allowing customers to continue accessing the content. <ref>https://www.playstation.com/en-us/legal/psvideocontent/</ref>
|
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bpzyz5kf_A</ref> <ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krXH8jXefqE</ref>
|-
|Helldivers 2 PSN Account Requirement
|2024
|Sony added a PSN account requirement for Helldivers 2 after the game had become popular, including in countries where you can't create a PSN account.
|The requirement was removed <ref>https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/553850/view/4196868529806518741</ref> , however the game was removed from sale in countries without PSN. <ref>https://www.gamesradar.com/games/third-person-shooter/helldivers-2-gets-delisted-in-more-countries-without-psn-access-blindsided-devs-call-for-it-to-be-available-worldwide/</ref>
|
|<ref group="Video References">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2VA0eum6w4</ref>
|-
|Revocation of "Forever" licenses to Funimation digital content
|2024
|After merging Funimation with Crunchyroll, Sony revoked all licenses to digital content that had been advertised as "forever" licenses without providing a refund or reimbursement.
|Some users received free months of service for the new Crunchyroll platform, but only if they submitted a ticket.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation?commentID=56ddc90f-8d10-4a23-ac26-16c3557b59b8</ref>
|[[Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation]]
|
|-
|Crunchyroll January 2025 Terms of Service Update
|2025
|Sony forced users of Crunchyroll into binding arbitration by updating their terms of service and without providing an easy way to opt-out.
|TBD
|[[Crunchyroll January 2025 Terms of Service Update]]
|
|}

==References==
<references />
<references group="Video References" />

[[Category:Sony]]
[[Category:Computer companies]]
[[Category:Computer hardware companies]]
[[Category:Computer storage companies]]
[[Category:Computer systems companies]]
[[Category:Display technology companies]]
[[Category:Electronics companies]]
[[Category:Headphones manufacturers]]
[[Category:Lens manufacturers]]
[[Category:Loudspeaker manufacturers]]
[[Category:Microphone manufacturers]]
[[Category:Netbook manufacturers]]
[[Category:Photography equipment manufacturers]]
[[Category:Portable audio player manufacturers]]
[[Category:Radio manufacturers]]
[[Category:Software companies]]
[[Category:Video equipment manufacturers]]

Funimation "Forever" Content License Revocation

2025-02-01T00:41:39Z

Post: On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll. This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.

''On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation, a paid media-streaming platform was shutdown as part of a merger with another media-streaming platform known as Crunchyroll.''<ref name=":0">https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/22843839604500-Funimation-End-of-Services</ref> ''This was a planned merger as a result of Sony's acquisition of both companies. The retirement of Funimation also revoked licenses for and removed access to all previously purchased digital copies of Funimation content without an automatic refund or replacement.''<ref name=":0" />

==Background==
Sony finalized its acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021 after an extended antitrust review by the US Department of Justice.<ref>https://www.wired.com/story/funimation-crunchyroll-big-anime-era-is-here/</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/24/22349203/doj-crunchyroll-investigation-sony-att</ref> After a year of operations under Sony, On March 1st, 2022, an announcement was made informing users that the site would be consolidated into Crunchyroll as a part of the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony. <ref>https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/crunchyroll-adds-funimation-anime-sony-1235192876/</ref>

On February 7th, 2024, it was announced that Funimation would shut down and transition to Crunchyroll on April 2nd, 2024.<ref name=":1">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/8/24065940/funimation-shutdown-crunchyroll-digital-library</ref><ref>https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2024-02-07/funimation-app-shuts-down-on-april-2-as-its-accounts-merge-with-crunchyroll/.207344</ref> Users were notified at that time that subscription prices would increase and users would permanently lose access to their digital library without any mention of a refund or replacement.<ref name=":1" /> Shortly afterwards, articles were published by major digital news outlets such as Ars Technica and the Verge, with both users and journalists remarking on the largely negative outcomes of this merger.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">https://arstechnica.com/culture/2024/02/funimation-dvds-included-forever-available-digital-copies-forever-ends-april-2/</ref>

==''"Forever" Digital Content License Revocation''==
On April 2nd, 2024 Funimation was shut down. Users permanently lost access to any digital content they had purchased from Funimation or redeemed through a code provided with a physical blu-ray or DVD product - content that had previously been advertised to users as being available "forever." <ref>https://www.cbr.com/funimation-shut-down-forever-digital-copies-fooled/</ref> In order to continue streaming content, users would have to sign up for a new subscription tier with Crunchyroll or let their subscription with Funimation automatically transition into a new, more expensive subscription with Crunchyroll.

===Funimation's response===
Crunchyroll created a help article with information on the end of Funimation and answers to common questions about what would happen to digital copies and subscriptions.<ref name=":0" /> On the topic of revoking access to Funimation digital copies, the site provided the following guidance:<blockquote>'''What happened to my Funimation Digital copies?'''

We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These digital copies were exclusive content available in DVD and Blu-ray form directly purchased from Funimation's former platform.

Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be available. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding, and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll!<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Crunchyroll's president at the time, Rahul Purini replied to the controversy in an interview on February 26th, 2024 with The Verge:<blockquote>Just to set some context, Nilay, this is, at Funimation, what we used to call digital copies. So for our customers that bought our physical home video collectible sets, we added an add-on to those collectible sets where they could redeem a digital copy within the Funimation platform so that they could have access to a digital version of that same show.

That was a feature that was built into the Funimation platform. And as we look at usage of that and the number of people that were redeeming those and using them, it was just not a feature that was available in Crunchyroll and isn’t in our road map.

And so as we announced the sunset of Funimation, the users that had bought those physical home videos will not be able to have access to the digital copies on the Crunchyroll service. I will say these are customers that we value a lot, and we are working really hard directly with each one of them to ensure that they have an appropriate value for what they got in the digital copy initially.<ref>https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24081180/crunchyroll-president-purini-anime-funimation-shutdown-sony-merger-decoder-interview</ref></blockquote>Some users reported that they were able to get 3 months of Crunchyroll premium for free if they submitted a ticket.<ref name=":3">https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/26/24080637/funimation-shut-down-crunchyroll-digital-library-compensation#comments</ref>

==Consumer impact==
Users with previous "forever" accessible digital content had all access and rights revoked, and were forced into paying for a Crunchyroll premium subscription if they wanted to continue to access content, with no guarantee that their previously paid-for content would be available on the platform.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
Generally, users were outspoken against this, with many popular news outlets creating articles about the monopolistic and anti-consumer actions that were a result of the merger.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]

Inclusion of forced arbitration in Crunchyroll January 2025 TOS update

2025-01-31T22:48:57Z

Post: New incident created for updates to Crunchyroll's TOS on January 30th, 2025.

On Thursday, January 30th, Crunchyroll emailed US users of its server about an update to its terms of service through email and notifications on login. There were two main updates to the terms of service - a class action-lawsuit waiver, and an update to account usage guidelines. The messaging about these changes did not mention any means of opting out of these changes or give any warning - they are effective immediately.

==Background==
''Crunchyroll is a US-based media-streaming platform owned by Sony that specializes in east-asian media. users can opt to pay for different tiers of premium access to animated content. Users have to agree to the terms of service to continue to use the streaming platform.''

''On January 30th, 2025 users were informed that the terms of use were changing via email and messages upon logging into the site. In order to continue using the service, users would have to agree to the terms even if they were already paid members of the site.''

The email users received indicated two vague changes to the terms of service:

# "We’ve provided additional details on the use of your account and the guidelines that help keep user accounts safe and sound."
# "We’ve updated the procedures for resolving disputes with us."

==''Terms of Service Update - Section 14''==
''Upon clicking the terms of use''<ref name=":0">https://www.crunchyroll.com/tos/?lid=l022q2vu4gh7</ref> ''link provided in the email, the user is greeted with a 23 page legal agreement with no indication of what exactly changed.''

''Reading into it the user would find that:''

# ''By continuing to use the service they agree to all of the terms''
# ''They can opt out of section 14, "Dispute Resolution: Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver" by notifying Crunchyroll in writing''
# ''Even if they opt out of section 14 of the terms, you cannot opt-out of the specific "Class Action Waiver" section - section d.''

The specific statements provided in the terms on these topics are as follows:<blockquote>"You may opt-out and not be bound by the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. To do so, you must notify Crunchyroll in writing no later than thirty (30) days of your acceptance of any update to these Terms of Use or your first use of the Service, whichever is later. Your notice must include your name and address, and the email address you used to set up your Crunchyroll account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt-out of this arbitration agreement. You must send your opt-out notice to one of the following physical or email addresses: Crunchyroll, LLC., ATTN: Arbitration Opt-out, 444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108; legal@crunchyroll.com. If you do not opt out, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of the Arbitration Agreement and Class Action Waiver. If you opt out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, you or we may exercise your or our right to a trial by jury or judge, as permitted by applicable law, but any prior existing agreement to arbitrate Disputes under a prior version of this Arbitration Agreement will not apply to claims not yet filed. Crunchyroll will continue to honor any valid opt outs if you opted out of arbitration in a prior version of the Arbitration Agreement pursuant to the requirements set forth in that version. If you opt-out of the Arbitration Agreement or Class Action Waiver, Crunchyroll also will not be bound by them.

Absent opt out, this Section 14 will survive the termination of your relationship with Crunchyroll."<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>The subtle note about not being able to opt-out of the class-action waiver (section d) that's hidden at the end of section f (Arbitration rules):<blockquote>Opt out of arbitration under this section shall not be construed as opt out of Section 14(d), “Class Action Waiver.” Absent notice of an opt-out, the arbitrations will proceed in the order determined by the sequential numbers assigned to demands in the Mass Filing.<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>There is not a similar note about opting-out of the "class action waiver" in the actual section titled "Class Action Waiver"

Users were not provided with an easy option to opt-out or even an easy-to-review synopsis of changes to the terms.

The end of the terms indicates that anyone can contact Crunchyroll with questions or to obtain a copy:<blockquote>If you have questions about these Terms of Use or would like to request a copy of these Terms of Use or any other records relating to these Terms of Use or your use of the Site and Services, contact Crunchyroll at feedback@crunchyroll.com or by sending a written request to Crunchyroll, LLC. at ''444 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94108, Phone: (415) 796-3560''.<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>

===[Company]'s response===
''If applicable add the proposed solution to the issues by the company.''

==Consumer impact==
On March 1st, 2025, existing users will no longer be able to opt-out and will be required to participate in binding arbitration if a dispute arises between the user and Crunchyroll, without an option to pursue a class-action suit. Users will also be required to reply within 30 days to any future changes to the terms of service with written opt-out of section 14 of the terms of service.

==Lawsuit==
''If applicable add any information regarding litigation around the incident here.''
===Claims===
''Main claims of the suit.''
===Rebuttal===
''The response of the company or counterclaims.''

==Consumer response==
''Summary and key issues of prevailing sentiment from the consumers that can be documented via articles, emails to support, reviews and forum posts.''

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:''Name of associated product, service, website, software, product line or company goes here'']]