Akalabeth said:
I don't know where anyone is getting the sense that EA is going to scan your computer and take screenshots of your personal information.
I mean, maybe it has the potential to be read that way.
But the impression I get from this is:
identifies your computer (including the Internet Protocol Address), operating system, Application usage (including but not limited to successful installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware, that may be gathered periodically to facilitate the provision of software updates, dynamically served content, product support and other services to you, including online services.
So, basically they want to know:
OS - What's your preferred O/S
Applicaton - How often do you use Origin, was it installed properly.
Software - what games do you own and how often do you play them
Hardware - what hardware do you use to play your games
And they're going to use this to:
Make sure your updates work and provide content that appeals to you.
And people are somehow reading this as:
EA is going to scan my hard drive, catalogue, document, sort everything and send it back to the NWO.
Mind you, I do understand that in the above context it is a bit open ended (not having seen the whole thing). And a "software run through Origin" or "hardware relevant to the running of software on origin" or things of that nature may clear up any confusion.
I can appreciate that people are making a much bigger song and dance about this than it deserves; it's no worse than what Steam, Google and Facebook do. What I don't understand is why it has to be
mandatory in order to use the service (or any other service, for that matter, not to single EA out).
Don't I have a right to have updates that never work, and a constant barrage of advertising material that I wouldn't consider even for a second? Putting it that way makes it sound stupid, but that's not the point. If you install a program and a window pops-up offering to produce more efficient updates and deliver relevant advertising, as long as I tell it what software and hardware I have installed, and
only that information, I really can't imagine many people are going to take a particular offense to that. I'd be happy to accept it myself. If that's all they want, then that's all perfectly innocent (relatively speaking, of course).
But they make it seem so slimy when it's made mandatory, and hidden amongst several hundred pages worth of end-user license agreement. It's not really the actual clause that I take don't like, it's the approach they've taken.
EDIT: Also, in light of what happened to Sony, and considering the type of information they intend to take and store, I think it might be a good idea for companies to start offering information about the type of security measures are being taken to protect your data. Not enough such that they'll essentially be giving a potential hacker a shopping list, but just so you have a better understanding of how well protected your personal information is, or such that you can get an informed opinion from a professional.
Of course, this isn't going to happen any time soon, but in terms of the company appearing more open and honest (say, more honest and open than they
actually are, at any rate), I think it might work in their favour.
You know, assuming their security measures are adequate. Which they should be. That way, if the company ever
is hacked, at the very least they can say "well, the customer was aware of the risks when they signed up, sooooo... yeah. Tough titties", which would make them look like arseholes, but at least they're
honest arseholes.