There seems to be a rumor going around that Sony is going to begin charging for Playstation Network access beginning January 10.  Fortunately this is just that: a rumor.

You can read it yourself in the links I provide, but apparently Sony is planning on offering premium online services for a price.  I don't know what the price is, or what the premium content will be, and I don't think anyone really does.  Speculation runs rampant, but G4 TV correspondent Stephen Johnson quoted Sony president Kaz Hirai as saying:

"SCE will further increase sales by offering users new entertainment through the combination of hardware, software, peripheral and PlayStation Network. Especially in the on-line area, we are studying the possibility of introducing a subscription model, offering premium content and services, in addition to the current free services."

Read more: http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/700836/sony-dont-panic-playstation-network-not-going-pay-to-play.html#ixzz0aX5b8rVt

For now, though, a more present problem exists in messages stating "If you forward this message to 15 people," yada yada yada, something about being put on a list for free subscriptions.  You'd think people wouldn't be so gullible as to fall for this sort of thing, nevertheless it happens.  It's not the first chain letter I've had passed on through PSN messages, but it's certainly the most dangerous.

Please, people.  Do some research before passing on inflammatory and wrong messages.  It's called Google.  Use it.

For further reading:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091208134628AAyN3Hr

http://gizmodo.com/5411054/playstation-3s-psn-will-get-premium-level-pay-subscription-in-2010