Sony's updated PlayStation 4 Software Usage Terms reveals the company may monitor and record PSN activity including content of voice and text communications

This information could later be used by Sony or affiliate companies in compliance with the law, in protection of the rights of Sony and those of its licensors and user, to protect the personal safety of employees and users and to enforce terms of service.

Regarding this online monitoring, Sony states it cannot monitor "all PSN activity" and makes "no commitment to do so."

"However, we reserve the right in our sole discretion to monitor and record any or all of your PSN activity and to remove any of your UGM at our sole discretion, without further notice to you," the statement continues.

"Your use of PSN and our community features may be recorded and collected by us or sent to us by other users as described in 13.1. Any information collected in this way, for example, your UGM, the content of your voice and text communications, video of your gameplay, the time and location of your activities, and your name, your PSN Online ID and IP address, may be used by us or our affiliated companies to enforce these Terms and the SEN Terms of Service, to comply with the law, to protect our rights and those of our licensors and users, and to protect the personal safety of our employees and users. This information may be passed to the police or other appropriate authorities. By accepting these Software Usage Terms, you expressly consent to this."

The company adds that all software is "licensed, not sold," meaning users only acquire the rights to use softwire but not ownership of the software. Additionally, the terms state users cannot re-sell "disc-based software or software downloads" unless authorized by Sony.

A full run-down of the new Software Terms of Use can be found here.

http://www.polygon.com/2013/11/11/5090404/sony-may-monitor-and-record-psn-voice-and-text-communications