PS4 Firmware Update 5.53 Brings Transparency to Sony’s Data Sharing Policy

PS4 update 5.53 brings some changes to the companies piracy policy and hands more control over to the player. You can now control what data is shared.

PS4 update 5.53 is out now and while on paper it only brings a minor system stability tweak, there is more than meets the eye. Sony has added new privacy options to allow the player to have more control over his data.

The changes are made in light of the recent General Regulation on Data Protection Act of Europe. Players will now be able to select what and how much data Sony will have access to and is allowed to share with third-parties. You can choose to send only basic data or opt-in for a more intrusive option that even tracks your navigation, settings, and usage among other things.

Once you reboot the system after installing the new update, you will be taken through a series of options to customize your data sharing. The data collected by Sony and its partnering company’s will then be used to serve you ads, and make your PlayStation experience more suitable for your playing style and needs.

The changes are not yet implemented in the United States it seems but they are in effect in Europe as we speak. Data collection by third-parties has become a major problem for the consumer, especially, after the Facebook debacle.

Govt regulation over privacy policies in imminent unless companies self-regulate and be more transparent, give more control to the user over his/her data.

You can download the PS4 update 5.53 right now by logging into your PlayStation System. You can also download the ISO on a USB device and use it to update your system.

For more on PlayStation, stay-tuned!

Sarmad is our Senior Editor, and is also one of the more refined and cultured among us. He's 25, a finance major, and having the time of his life writing about videogames.