TermsRating
Companies / Sony / General

Sony

6 serious, 5 to watch. Found 13 of 23 practices.
electronics.sony.com/terms-of-use (5 Oct 2026)sony.com/en/privacy (5 Oct 2026)
F

Do you give up the right to sue?Yes

You and Sony agree that all Disputes shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration. YOU UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BY AGREEING TO ARBITRATION, YOU ARE GIVING UP THE RIGHT TO LITIGATE (OR PARTICIPATE IN AS A PARTY OR CLASS MEMBER) ANY DISPUTES IN COURT. You also agree that ANY DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCEEDING WILL ONLY CONSIDER YOUR INDIVIDUAL CLAIMS, AND BOTH PARTIES AGREE NOT TO HAVE ANY DISPUTE HEARD AS A CLASS ACTION, REPRESENTATIVE ACTION, CONSOLIDATED ACTION, OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL ACTION.
electronics.sony.com/terms-of-use, lines 109–110
In plain wordsYou cannot sue Sony in a regular court or join a group lawsuit; instead, you must settle disagreements through a private process called arbitration. The only exception is that you can still use small claims court for disputes involving $15,000 or less.

3 of 3 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do they sell or share your data?Yes

How browsers communicate the Do Not Track signal is not yet uniform. For this reason, the Website does not respond to such signals. Ad Serving and Analytics Services We May Use Sony may use third-party network advertisers to serve advertisements on the Website and third-party analytics service providers to evaluate and provide us with information about the use of the Website and viewing of our content. We do not share the information that you provide to Sony with these third parties, but ad network providers, the advertisers, the sponsors, and/or analytics service providers may set and access their own cookies, web beacons and embedded scripts on your Device from our Website.
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 147–149
In plain wordsWhile Sony does not share the information you directly provide to them, third-party advertisers and analytics companies can still use cookies to track your activity and collect their own data about you.

6 of 9 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do they refuse responsibility when things break?Yes

SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN NO EVENT SHALL SONY’S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES, AND CAUSES OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) EXCEED $100.00. Copyright Notice
electronics.sony.com/terms-of-use, lines 89–90
In plain wordsThis clause states that Sony is not responsible for most types of damages, even if they are at fault due to negligence. Furthermore, it limits the maximum amount of money you can recover from them to just $100.00.

5 of 6 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Can they change the deal without asking?Yes

Sony reserves the right to change this Privacy Policy at any time, without prior notice to you, and any changes will become effective immediately upon posting, so please review this Privacy Policy periodically. If we make any material changes, we will post an updated notice on the Website prior to the changes becoming effective. Contact Information If you have any questions or comments about our practices regarding personal information or about this Privacy Policy, please write to us at Sony: Compliance & Privacy Department. Sony Group Corporation 1-7-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0075 Japan
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 175–182
In plain wordsSony can update this policy whenever they want without telling you beforehand, and the new rules apply as soon as they are posted. You are responsible for checking the website yourself to see if anything has changed.

5 of 5 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do you pay their legal bills?Yes

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Sony, its subsidiaries, affiliates, related entities and each of their officers, directors, employees, information providers, distributors, authorized retailers, licensors and licensees, and agents (collectively, “Indemnified Parties”), from and against any and all liability and costs (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and costs), incurred by the Indemnified Parties in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you of these Website Terms of Use or the representations, warranties, and covenants herein. You will cooperate as fully as reasonably required in Sony’s defense of any claim.
electronics.sony.com/terms-of-use, lines 86–86
In plain wordsIf you break the rules of this agreement, you must pay for Sony's legal fees and any costs they face from resulting lawsuits. You are also required to help them defend themselves in court if a claim arises from your actions.

3 of 3 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do they own your ideas and feedback?Yes

Any material submitted to this Website may be adapted, broadcast, changed, copied, disclosed, licensed, performed, posted, published, sold, transmitted, or used by Sony anywhere in the world, in any medium, forever. Further, Sony is free to use, without any compensation to you, any concepts, ideas, know-how, or techniques contained in any communication you send to the Website for any purpose whatsoever, including but not limited to developing, manufacturing, and marketing products using such information. However, you agree and understand that Sony is not obligated to use any such ideas or materials, and you have no rights to compel such use. Transmitted Material
electronics.sony.com/terms-of-use, lines 66–67
In plain wordsSony can use your ideas, feedback, or suggestions however they want, anywhere in the world, forever, without paying you. They can also change or sell your information without needing your permission.

Can they hand your data to authorities without telling you?Partly

We may also use Device Identifiers to identify users, and may do so in cooperation with copyright owners, Internet service providers, wireless service providers or law enforcement agencies, in our discretion. Such disclosures may be carried out without notice to you. Security; Retention and Monitoring
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 166–167
In plain wordsThe company can share your information with government agencies or law enforcement at their discretion and may do so without telling you.

6 of 7 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do they keep your data after you leave?Partly

There is no such thing as perfect security. Although we strive to protect the information we collect, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information. We may retain information as long as it is necessary for us to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. In addition, we may retain information for an additional period as is permitted or required to, among other things, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Where and when required by applicable law, we shall delete the information we collect.
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 170–172
In plain wordsThe company may keep your data for as long as they find it necessary for their purposes or to meet legal requirements. This means your information could remain in their systems even after you stop using the service or delete your account.

1 of 3 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Can your data go to a buyer if the company is sold?Partly

Business Transfers. Sony or any of its assets, including the Website may be sold, or other transactions may occur in which information collected by the Website is a business asset in the transaction. In such a case, your information may be one of the business assets we transfer. Hence, Sony and our Affiliates reserve the right to disclose and transfer user information in connection with a corporate merger, consolidation, restructuring, reorganization, the sale of certain stock and/or assets, or other corporate change including, without limitation, during the course of any due diligence process.
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 165–165
In plain wordsIf the company is sold, merges with another company, or undergoes a restructuring, your personal information may be transferred to the new owner as part of the deal.

4 of 6 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do they track you across sites, apps or places?Partly

How browsers communicate the Do Not Track signal is not yet uniform. For this reason, the Website does not respond to such signals. Ad Serving and Analytics Services We May Use Sony may use third-party network advertisers to serve advertisements on the Website and third-party analytics service providers to evaluate and provide us with information about the use of the Website and viewing of our content. We do not share the information that you provide to Sony with these third parties, but ad network providers, the advertisers, the sponsors, and/or analytics service providers may set and access their own cookies, web beacons and embedded scripts on your Device from our Website.
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 147–149
In plain wordsWhile Sony says they don't share your direct info, they allow third-party advertisers and analytics companies to use cookies and scripts to track your activity on their site. This means these outside companies can still monitor your behavior and collect data about your device and usage.

6 of 6 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Do they use your data to target ads?Partly

Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click the different category headings to find out more and change your default settings. For California, Virginia, Colorado, and Connecticut residents: To opt-out of the “sale” or “sharing” of your personal information or use for targeted advertising, please disable “Targeting Cookies” and save your preferences. Find out more in our Cookie Policy Accept Optional Cookies Manage Consent Preferences Strictly Necessary Cookies Always Active These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. View Vendor Details
sony.com/en/privacy, lines 191–200
In plain wordsThe company uses information about your preferences and device to provide a more personalized experience, which includes targeted advertising. You can opt out of this by disabling "Targeting Cookies" in your settings.

7 of 8 other smart TV and consumer electronics companies we rated do this too.

Checked, nothing hostile

  • Does not say it joins your data across its products into one profile.
  • Does not say it shows your name, photo or activity in ads.

Not covered by these documents

The documents we read do not mention these practices, which usually live in a document we haven’t read yet:

  • Do they get wide rights to what you post or upload?
  • Do they refuse to let you delete your account?
  • Can they read your private messages?
  • Do they use what you post to train AI?
  • Do they lock you in for a year or more?
  • Can they cut you off any time?
  • Do they keep rights to your content after you leave?
  • Are they off the hook if your data leaks?
  • Does your subscription renew by itself?
  • Must disputes be settled in their chosen court?