Sony details PS5 voice chat recording feature

Sony has written out the details of PS5's voice chat recording feature, which lets you send audio clips to moderators to report bad player behavior. We learned about the feature after PS4 users unexpectedly received messages warning them that their voices could be recorded.

In a new post on the PlayStation Blog, Sony exec Catherine Jensen gave some additional details about the upcoming PS5 feature. Essentially, PS5 players will be able to record up to 40 seconds of audio from a conversation with another player to use as evidence that they broke the code of conduct. And since PS5 players will be playing online games with PS4 players, Sony felt it necessary to let those PS4 players known ahead of time about the new reporting tool.

Jensen also made it explicitly clear that the recording function will only be used by other players, not Sony themselves. "Please note that this feature will not actively monitor or listen in on your conversations – ever – and it's strictly reserved for reporting online abuse or harassment."

The message from Sony also expresses regret for the confusion caused by the PS4 pop-up. "We didn't clearly communicate this feature or explain why we were introducing it, and we apologize for that," Jensen writes.

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After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.