Sony Interactive Entertainment — Ethics Grade C-

Sony Interactive Entertainment receives an overall ethics grade of C- (48/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Technology. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 40
• privacy: 30
• consumer: 50
• environment: 65
• humanRights: 55

Documented incidents (3)

• PlayStation Network Data Breach (high, 2011) — A massive security breach exposed the personal data of approximately 77 million accounts, leading to a 23-day network outage. Sony faced criticism for delaying notification to users and was fined by UK regulators.
• PlayStation Store Pricing Lawsuit (high, 2022) — A £5 billion class-action lawsuit was filed in the UK alleging Sony abused its dominant market position by charging a 30% commission on digital games and in-game purchases. The claim suggests this resulted in inflated prices for consumers.
• Gender Discrimination Lawsuit (medium, 2021) — Former employees filed a lawsuit alleging systemic gender discrimination, unequal pay, and wrongful termination at PlayStation's California offices. Some claimants described a 'boys club' culture that hindered female career advancement.

Documented good deeds

• Road to Zero Initiative — Sony accelerated its goal to achieve a zero environmental footprint, moving the target year for carbon neutrality back to 2040 from 2050.

Ethical alternatives

• Nintendo — Lower frequency of large-scale data privacy scandals and robust family-oriented safety controls.