Internet Explodes Over Origin's Invasion of Privacy

Redlin5_v1legacy

Better Red than Dead
Aug 5, 2009
48,836
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TheDarkEricDraven said:
Fucking EA! Hard. Copies. Come on people! I don't want to be the guy who's telling everyone to "Go back to horses, motors are just a fad!" but seriously!
I wonder if within my lifetime that will happen out of necessity...

OT: Thought the internet wouldn't notice it EA? People CAN read. Scary right?
 

Baneat

New member
Jul 18, 2008
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Eh people will still accept it in order to play BF3, even if they say they won't.
 

Nikolaz72

This place still alive?
Apr 23, 2009
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Baneat said:
Eh people will still accept it in order to play BF3, even if they say they won't.
Baseless assumption is baseless. Find me another example of millions of users willingly downloading spyware to play an FPS and I'll listen.

And no, people buying a game they said they would not does not count. Those games were probably unpopular but they still werent spyware.

And no Zynga's spyware doesnt count. Because they got sued for it and it was proven illigal and people didnt willingly download it.
 

Andronicus

Terror Australis
Mar 25, 2009
1,846
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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.
 

Blow_Pop

Supreme Evil Overlord
Jan 21, 2009
4,863
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Well then I am glad I'm getting Battlefield 3 on console then anyways.

I didn't plan on ever installing Origin anyways and this just makes me want to install it less. I'm fine with basic info such as what OS I am using and anything that pertains to improving gaming. But going through EVERYTHING on my computer? yeah fuck you and no thanks. But that's my opinion. Some people may not have a problem with it and to them more power to ya.
 

NinjaRock

New member
Aug 16, 2011
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I cannot honestly think that a game publisher like EA could be so stupid as to think that most gamers would agree to letting them know EVERYTHING about you, think about it, they have access to everything. It could monitor your internet usage, look at private files. everything on there is available. Even if they don't use any of this if we don't change this then others will take advantage of us and do the same thing with malicious intent.
 

Baneat

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Jul 18, 2008
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Nikolaz72 said:
Baneat said:
Eh people will still accept it in order to play BF3, even if they say they won't.
Baseless assumption is baseless. Find me another example of millions of users willingly downloading spyware to play an FPS and I'll listen.

And no, people buying a game they said they would not does not count. Those games were probably unpopular but they still werent spyware.

And no Zynga's spyware doesnt count. Because they got sued for it and it was proven illigal and people didnt willingly download it.
Why must it be an FPS? Cause I'm considering facebook and google where information is collected from you and harvested for ads and nobody really cares, since they recieve the service they want. The 3DS also has insane ToS, granted the sales are poor but the poll put out on the street didn't have "crazy terms of service" as the top reasons. Gimmicky, lack of games and even lack of colour choices were more common a reason not to buy it If we'll be honest, no-one's going to be affected so harshly individually from whatever Origin plan to do, they might get some strangely specific ads; but if you weren't going to buy it cause of this it's an act on principle not convenience. And I've yet to see the gaming community successfully impact a AAA studio with a boycott even slightly, so when they do it will be a great day. People want to play BF3, and I hope they can subvert this. When the steam group for BF3 inevitably arises from this we'll find out after launch date how many were willing to stick to their guns.

In fact, I find the 3DS ones even worse than this. "We can destroy your shit any time we feel like it" is pretty nasty, but people really do just suck it up because they want to play the games
 

Lim3

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Feb 15, 2010
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They want to collect information for their own nefarious purposes - such as selling it for a premium price. That sort of information is worth a lot to marketers.

It sucks that if you want to play Battlefield 3 you would have to sell your privacy and pay $s.
 

PingoBlack

Searching for common sense ...
Aug 6, 2011
322
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CriticKitten said:
Stop insisting that you have no control over a company's policies just because they throw some legalish-looking document in your face. If you can prove wrongdoing on their part, a company of this size will NOT try to defend themselves. Not after various court cases in which big companies lost to "little people". It's a new age in business. Backing off to avoid court is far cheaper than the risk of a suit.
I don't think you understand me ...

If you install, no matter what your legal rights are, you let them in. They are already snooping.

To opt out you MUST NOT play their games, until they actually are forced to remove the spyware. That could take years though. If you want to send a message faster, don't buy.
 

StANDY1338

New member
Sep 25, 2006
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Lim3 said:
They want to collect information for their own nefarious purposes - such as selling it for a premium price. That sort of information is worth a lot to marketers.

It sucks that if you want to play Battlefield 3 you would have to sell your privacy and pay $s.
Isn't there laws against this?
 

SpAc3man

New member
Jul 26, 2009
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How is this different from the Steam hardware survey? No big deal really as long as they don't fuck my shit up. All they will learn from me is that I like open-source, free software and my computer is about 3 years out of date.
 

Sonic Doctor

Time Lord / Whack-A-Newbie!
Jan 9, 2010
3,042
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The most likely thing is that this is an evil plot to gain control of all gaming computers and force players to only buy and play EA published and offered games.

It's either that or they want to take control of people's porn and naughty picture collections. =P
 

Monsterfurby

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Mar 7, 2008
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Releasing the same game over and over again each year with minimal changes? Check.
Taking out contant from the main game to sell it as 20 separate expansions? Check.
Considering Pay-to-Win the perfect solution for an online game? Check.
Violating their users' privacy? Check.

Well, EA has never been the most ethical part of this industry, have they?

(Electronic Arts: a bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first against the wall when the revolution comes.)
 

Nikolaz72

This place still alive?
Apr 23, 2009
2,125
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Baneat said:
Nikolaz72 said:
Baneat said:
Eh people will still accept it in order to play BF3, even if they say they won't.
Baseless assumption is baseless. Find me another example of millions of users willingly downloading spyware to play an FPS and I'll listen.

And no, people buying a game they said they would not does not count. Those games were probably unpopular but they still werent spyware.

And no Zynga's spyware doesnt count. Because they got sued for it and it was proven illigal and people didnt willingly download it.
Why must it be an FPS? Cause I'm considering facebook and google where information is collected from you and harvested for ads and nobody really cares, since they recieve the service they want. The 3DS also has insane ToS, granted the sales are poor but the poll put out on the street didn't have "crazy terms of service" as the top reasons. Gimmicky, lack of games and even lack of colour choices were more common a reason not to buy it If we'll be honest, no-one's going to be affected so harshly individually from whatever Origin plan to do, they might get some strangely specific ads; but if you weren't going to buy it cause of this it's an act on principle not convenience. And I've yet to see the gaming community successfully impact a AAA studio with a boycott even slightly, so when they do it will be a great day. People want to play BF3, and I hope they can subvert this. When the steam group for BF3 inevitably arises from this we'll find out after launch date how many were willing to stick to their guns.

In fact, I find the 3DS ones even worse than this. "We can destroy your shit any time we feel like it" is pretty nasty, but people really do just suck it up because they want to play the games
You just stated perfectly yourself what I didnt. Casual gamers and facebookers dont care for the terms of services. This has never happened before with a tripple-A title. And also, something else you said which doesnt make sense.

You are gonna wait a shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-t load of time for a steamgroup of battlefield 3 to pop up.
 

mooncalf

<Insert Avatar Here>
Jul 3, 2008
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The road to BF3 is feeling more and more like a steeple chase; EA keeps on throwing up these obstacles to my eventual purchase, and yet I don't feel my need to complete will result in any greater sense of accomplishment when at last I have my copy in hand. Perhaps due to the egregious thorns it will leave in my side.
 

CrystalShadow

don't upset the insane catgirl
Apr 11, 2009
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Catchy Slogan said:
It still boggles the mind as to how this much of an invasion of privacy can be legal.
I'm not sure it is. Not in most European countries, anyway...

(do you remember the stories about the 3DS terms of service? They have some horrible clauses too... But most of those clauses were removed in Europe, because they simply wouldn't be legal.)

But, you never know. Firstly they could be skirting technicalities in various laws. And secondly, they could simply be relying on nobody challenging it.

Just because it's illegal, doesn't mean there's people specifically looking for it. It could go completely unnoticed by the legal systems of various countries until someone specifically challenges them on it.



Anyway, looks like it might be time to break out the sandbox systems.

If companies are getting this intrusive, we really should install their crap into an environment we have fairly tight control over.

Let these programs think they have free access to the system... Meanwhile, we only show them what we want them to see...
 

Baneat

New member
Jul 18, 2008
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Nikolaz72 said:
Baneat said:
Nikolaz72 said:
Baneat said:
Eh people will still accept it in order to play BF3, even if they say they won't.
Baseless assumption is baseless. Find me another example of millions of users willingly downloading spyware to play an FPS and I'll listen.

And no, people buying a game they said they would not does not count. Those games were probably unpopular but they still werent spyware.

And no Zynga's spyware doesnt count. Because they got sued for it and it was proven illigal and people didnt willingly download it.
Why must it be an FPS? Cause I'm considering facebook and google where information is collected from you and harvested for ads and nobody really cares, since they recieve the service they want. The 3DS also has insane ToS, granted the sales are poor but the poll put out on the street didn't have "crazy terms of service" as the top reasons. Gimmicky, lack of games and even lack of colour choices were more common a reason not to buy it If we'll be honest, no-one's going to be affected so harshly individually from whatever Origin plan to do, they might get some strangely specific ads; but if you weren't going to buy it cause of this it's an act on principle not convenience. And I've yet to see the gaming community successfully impact a AAA studio with a boycott even slightly, so when they do it will be a great day. People want to play BF3, and I hope they can subvert this. When the steam group for BF3 inevitably arises from this we'll find out after launch date how many were willing to stick to their guns.

In fact, I find the 3DS ones even worse than this. "We can destroy your shit any time we feel like it" is pretty nasty, but people really do just suck it up because they want to play the games
You just stated perfectly yourself what I didnt. Casual gamers and facebookers dont care for the terms of services. This has never happened before with a tripple-A title. And also, something else you said which doesnt make sense.

You are gonna wait a shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-t load of time for a steamgroup of battlefield 3 to pop up.
Makes this all the more interesting actually. Do hardcore (Yeah I'll regard this specific game as hardcore, but only the PC version cause of the sysreqs) gamers have the stones to stand against this, or will they fold as they did with MW2 PC?

There are *many* examples which are strong but not perfect.There's no example we can give where the performance-pushers have been specifically shafted, so we will see. Also: Where do the MW2 PC gamers lie on your casual-hardcore spectrum? It's a PC game (Hardcore) It's CoD(Casual now) and the sysreqs are high enough that you can't play it on a browser-PC, not even close.
 

Monsterfurby

New member
Mar 7, 2008
871
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CrystalShadow said:
Catchy Slogan said:
It still boggles the mind as to how this much of an invasion of privacy can be legal.
I'm not sure it is. Not in most European countries, anyway...

(do you remember the stories about the 3DS terms of service? They have some horrible clauses too... But most of those clauses were removed in Europe, because they simply wouldn't be legal.)

But, you never know. Firstly they could be skirting technicalities in various laws. And secondly, they could simply be relying on nobody challenging it.

Just because it's illegal, doesn't mean there's people specifically looking for it. It could go completely unnoticed by the legal systems of various countries until someone specifically challenges them on it.
Indeed, it would take a class action lawsuit or at least someone bringing this before one of the national courts or ECJ to test their TOS.