"For privacy, Origin is the same as Steam" WRONG!!! -Updated

[him over there]

Haven't we all gotten over this anyway? Didn't we all agree to stop ragging on Origin for their license agreement? didn't we all agree to rag on it because of extremely abyssmal service and how we refuse to give money to EA "cause they're greedy" (No One)?

 

[MrTub]

Personally I think that if someone goes through all the effort to run No-scripts, ad-blocks, javablocks, cookie untrackers, etc etc...then they do have something to hide, even if they claim the opposite. However that is just my opinion so take with a grain of salt.

On the Origin/Steam debate I think it has been blown way out of proportion. I use both. Steam for the good sales and whatnot, and Origin for the EA titles that I want to play, Old Republic and ME3 in particular. I will be the first to admit I used to be in the "Zomg Origin is spying on people!!1!" camp, but after a bit of research and taking the piss I came to the conclusion that it was nowhere near the catastrophe that people were making it out to be.

Origin is looking at my hardware/software specs for my PC? Big whoop, benchmark sites do that when I go to see if my PC can run the newest games smoothly. I mean honestly, what could they do? "This man is only running a dual-core processor! RELEASE THE HOUNDS!"

Now I'm all for people sticking to their guns and principle and such...but jeez...there are times you gotta admit that maybe you're being a bit too paranoid and/or sensitive and need to get over it.

Just because somebody wants their stuff to stay private doesn't mean that they have stuff to hide.
I encrypt all my drives simply cause I want it to stay private and it takes almost no effort from my part to do so, does that mean that I'm a terrorist? thief? look at CP? Scammer?

 

[DoPo]

Personally I think that if someone goes through all the effort to run No-scripts, ad-blocks, javablocks, cookie untrackers, etc etc...then they do have something to hide, even if they claim the opposite. However that is just my opinion so take with a grain of salt.

And you are wrong (inb4 "It's opinion hurr durr!"). I don't see your country in your profile. Nor do I see Steam or facebook or whatever account, no birth date, no occupation nothing. Do you have something to hide?

When you walk down the street, do you make sure everybody knows your name and where do you live? Or do you have something to hide?

Exactly like that. Some people just don't want to share stuff for no reason.

 

[Miroku2235]

My Escapist profile is blank because I only made one out of necessity in order to post the very rare reply and whatnot.

United States
Miroku2235 for both Steam and Facebook, seeing a pattern?
Same as well for Aim, MSN, Yahoo, Trillian.

I got nothing to hide.

 

[Beryl77]

I hear a lot of things about what Origin does but can someone tell me what data it exactly gathers? But with real prove and not just assumptions or what it could do, just prove of what it really does.

Anyway, I don't really care that it does that. I have Origin on my gaming pc installed and I have pretty much no personal data there, all the personal things are on my laptop. So I don't see why I shouldn't let Origin do that, I also let Steam gather infos about my pc. I don't see it as something harmful to me.

 

[Something Amyss]

"This man is only running a dual-core processor! RELEASE THE HOUNDS!"

I think most PC elitists would actually champion this sort of action.

Personally I think that if someone goes through all the effort to run No-scripts, ad-blocks, javablocks, cookie untrackers, etc etc...then they do have something to hide, even if they claim the opposite.

I'm just curious, but what does "I don't want to see ads" have to do with "I have something to hide?"

Before the mods get too jumpy, I was speaking in the general sense. I am not using one.

 

[MrTub]

My Escapist profile is blank because I only made one out of necessity in order to post the very rare reply and whatnot.

United States
Miroku2235 for both Steam and Facebook, seeing a pattern?
Same as well for Aim, MSN, Yahoo, Trillian.

I got nothing to hide.

Since you have nothing to hide...
Whats your real name, birthday, phone number, address, social security number?
Can you please upload all your files that you currently got on your phone&computer


(of course this is extreme and I'm just pointing out that everyone got something that they would not like to share to random people)

 

[MrTub]

is it not enough of a reason that we just don't like what EA is doing, so we don't want Origin. Why do we have to have more of a reason for these rabid EA fanboy knuckle fuckers?

So your a fanboy if you point out that origin is not doing what people are saying they are doing?

If you do not like EA fine with me as long as you do not make up shit and post it online.

 

[Woodsey]

Haven't we all gotten over this anyway? Didn't we all agree to stop ragging on Origin for their license agreement? didn't we all agree to rag on it because of extremely abyssmal service and how we refuse to give money to EA "cause they're greedy" (No One)?

Let us light a cigar in the corner and drink cocktails, because that's a plan to toast to. Because seriously, when I used it - for the only time I have so far - most of the bloody buttons didn't even work.

Personally I think that if someone goes through all the effort to run No-scripts, ad-blocks, javablocks, cookie untrackers, etc etc...then they do have something to hide, even if they claim the opposite. However that is just my opinion so take with a grain of salt.

That's pretty irrelevant, they have every right to.

"This man is only running a dual-core processor! RELEASE THE HOUNDS!"

I think most PC elitists would actually champion this sort of action.

They should be taken out back and shot, no question.

 

[Canadish]

I don't have the screenshot on this computer, but someone managed to track all the programs Origin was going through on his computer.

Edit: Here it is.

That's just not acceptable.

Alot of people on the thread have pointed out that the they don't matter, so why should their information?
Fair point, except that is a very dangerous way to think when dealing with personal freedoms and privacy. The slippery slope and all that. We already jumped off the deep end as it is.
It may not matter much what you and me are looking at, I'll agree. But in our compliance and submission, we're giving EA influential power over others. That acceptance of giving up your privacy extents to society as a whole. If the majority accept this exchange of power, the minority of resistance will find it harder and harder to resist, because more and more programs/software will simply expect this information as it's just "the done thing". If the trend continues, the minority will simply have no choice in the end if they want to have basic function (and hell, in the case of Origin, we're already there, we can't even play singleplayer games without letting EA in).
We have a responsibility to one another as consumers (in this case) to protect each others rights, and say no to these invasive pushes by large corporations. We have to both join our voices to be heard and stand by our convictions to not accept these bullshit EULA's by avoiding products that require it, and hit EA in the wallet.

Of course, the smartarse tween crowd is about to fly in I'm sure, letting me know how they don't care, how it doesn't matter, "Hurrrr Ponies anyone!?" "let us just have brainless fun", and how we don't have any responsibility to look after each other, "it's just some computer game program brah!"...
Yadda yadda.

 

[Something Amyss]

You wouldn't call the cops if someone was snooping around in your yard?

I probably wouldn't if their "snooping" was part of an agreement I made in exchange for services.

That's what you've done if you've signed up for Origin OR Steam. You don't have to like it, but you do have to abide by it.

And that's the problem, here. People are complaining, but still happily buying the games and agreeing to the terms. They want to have their cake and eat it, too, which is the one way to make sure such policies will continue.

 

[enzilewulf]

Lets say EA takes your hardware specs. Then EA uses this information to better refine and update games. Better games right? Isnt that the point?

OH NO EA WOULDN'T EVER DO ANYTHING GOOD FOR THEIR CONSUMERS. THEY ARE NAZI'S! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING! THEY WAN'T TO MILK YOU DRY, COW!

Really thought I have made this point before, we install a bunch of shit on our CPU, we use devices with a bunch of shit installed. Guys remember the whole fiasco with the Phone apps tracking you or something? remember how look it took to find that? We live in a age where your shit can be hacked in a matter of moments. Privacy is getting harder to maintain, I don't think Origin is as big of a threat as every one makes it considering they are only a game provider service.

 

[RagTagBand]

I've read both EULA's and found only differences in wording, Both take information from your PC once you agree to use their program, the only difference is that Origin doesn't keep asking you every time it does it.

AND for those of you paranoid enough to be the kind of people that scours their internet data clean with many plugins and technical wizardry, I find it quite surprising that you've yet to figure out you can get around Origins pesky scanning in much the same way - Using programs and technical wizardry.

I mean, this is all an argument against Origins "Default" state on your computer, without third-party application modding, and the same arguments would apply to vanilla firefox, or Chrome or facebook. But you still use the latter three programs don't you? Once they're sufficiently configured?

Same problem, why not follow the same solution? Laziness? Ignorance? "I'd rather just hate EA" syndrome (sometimes laughably described as "Principal")?

Either way, Vanilla or not and as always, if you have a problem with the terms of use then simply don't use them. Better yet, voice your concern...to people with a little more relevance than an online magazines forum. EA changed their EULA once due to pressure, why not pressure them again? I'm not sure why people keep coming here to whine...

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Steam had the better logo, I'll tell you that.

Actually, I don't know if they changed it recently or Escapist just pulled one out of thin air. The ominous red one didn't do it any favors. Plus the "O" in the title invokes thoughts of both Orwellian cameras and HAL 9000.

 

[Something Amyss]

I've read both EULA's and found only differences in wording, Both take information from your PC once you agree to use their program, the only difference is that Origin doesn't keep asking you every time it does it.

If you read Valve's privacy Policy, neither do they.

 

[Laughing Man]

Ok, you can think of it that way if you like. Does not change the core of my point, that the people saying that Steam is just as bad as Origin for pirvacy invasion, are wrong...

Except they aren't are they, they both collect info, they both send it back to their parent company. The terms of acceptance are the only thing that are different and the consequences for not accepting are the only thing that separate them.

As I've said elsewhere a look at what Origin and Steam does when left to their own devices shows that

a). Steam is more resource hungry using more system resource than Origin does
b). Steam spends more time using internet access, sending data OUT than Origin does

 

[Something Amyss]

Steam has a better logo, I'll tell you that.

Actually, until the March Madness crap I've never seen Origin's logo. Let me say, the ominous red doesn't do it any favors. Plus the "O" in the title invokes thoughts of both Orwellian cameras and HAL 9000.

"I can't let you do that, Dave."

Actually, it makes me think of those hurricane symbols on weather sites. Perfectly apt given the shitstorm it kicked up.

 

[SadisticBrownie]

I honestly don't care. I have Steam, don't have Origin, probably won't until something I really want is exclusive to it comes out (getting ME3 on 360).