Sony Offers Year's Worth of Free Identity Protection

Current and former Sony Pictures employees have been told they can get 12 months worth of identity protection at no cost from a third-party vendor, AllClear ID, via a letter on the company's website—actually there were several versions depending on where they work.

That is because due to the "brazen" hack Sony says occurred in late November—and has since become an international story—their personal information, from bank account information to social security numbers and health records, could have been compromised.

The company also warns them about any e-mails or phone calls or letters they might get asking for personal information. Sony assures them it will not be trying to contact them. "If you are asked for this information, you can be confident SPE is not the entity asking."

Sony also advises them how to contact the Federal Trade Commission to ask about how they can further protect themselves against identity theft.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.