Internet Explodes Over Origin's Invasion of Privacy

[Talendra]

Seems EA has done some pretty major backpeddling.

http://eacom.s3.amazonaws.com/EULA_Origin_8.24.11.pdf

So happy about this, was pretty disapointed that I might have had to cancel my preorder over the previous terms.

Spoiler: Revised terms

2. Consent to Collection and Use of Data.
EA knows that you care how information about you is collected, used and
shared, and we appreciate your trust that we will do so carefully and sensibly.
Information about our customers is an important part of our business, and EA
would never sell your personally identifiable information to anyone, nor would it
ever use spyware or install spyware on users? machines. We and agents acting
on our behalf do not share information that personally identifies you without your
consent, except in rare instances where disclosure is required by law or to
enforce EA?s legal rights.
In addition to information that you give EA directly, EA collects nonpersonally
identifiable (or anonymous) information for purposes of improving our
products and services, providing services to you, facilitating the provision of
software updates, dynamically served content and product support as well as
communicating with you. The non-personally identifiable information that EA
collects includes technical and related information that identifies your computer
(including the Internet Protocol Address) and operating system, as well as
information about your Application usage (including but not limited to successful
installation and/or removal), software, software usage and peripheral hardware.
As noted above, this information is gathered periodically for purposes such as
improving our products and services, troubleshooting bugs, and otherwise
enhancing your user experience.
This and all other data provided to EA and/or collected by EA in
connection with your installation and use of this Application is collected, used,
stored and transmitted in accordance with EA?s Privacy Policy located at
www.ea.com. To the extent that anything in this section conflicts or is
inconsistent with the terms of EA?s Privacy Policy, the terms of the Privacy Policy
shall control.

Edit: Ok, backpeddling is not really the right wroding here. More tightening up the terms to make them less vague and linking to the privacy policy which improves the terms alot.

 

[PingoBlack]

Seems EA has done some pretty major backpeddling.

http://eacom.s3.amazonaws.com/EULA_Origin_8.24.11.pdf

So happy about this, was pretty disapointed that I might have had to cancel my preorder over the previous terms.

You still allow them to look at all of your software, including that not related to Origin.

I don't see the change that would matter. Only looks more obscure now, pointing to another policy instead of it being included in same document. Still no opt in, other than installation itself.

 

[Mangue Surfer]

According to them, this contract is not binding in Finland. SO when they spy my computer, I can sue them for it! H'ray, I got myself a new hobby!

But they are not exactly spying on you. They are asking if they can get your information. We'll let?s see about the following optics. If I meet you at a party in Finland, I ask your name and then introduce you to some friends, can you process me?

 

[-Dragmire-]

See, here's why I buy most of my games for my 360. Consoles win again I guess.

Have you bothered to read any of the TOS's for consoles? They basically say that the OS on them is a license, so breaking any of their terms means they can lock you down effectively leaving you with an expensive paper weight (with the PS3 at least). Last I checked, that doesn't happen to PC's. At least with Origin it's an optional piece of software; you have the right to click "I do no agree" and life goes on. What happens if you do that on your Xbox?

Not really. Consoles can be banned from LIVE and accounts can be suspended but I've never heard of a console being 'barred from use' before. As long as you don't drastically mod your console or piss of a lot of people then you should be fine. And you only have to agree to their TOS if you join LIVE anyway which is totally optional (like Origin). Even if consoles could be banned (which they can't) if you make some bad decisions on Steam then your entire library goes bye-bye which isn't better than not being able to access your DLC on LIVE in the event that your account gets banned.

I think the 3DS is the only one that can be bricked by the creator's company for breaking the ToS. That's the reason people were mailing 'bricks' to Nintendo.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/110444-Anti-DRM-Group-Sends-Nintendo-200-Bricks

 

[PingoBlack]

But they are not exactly spying on you. They are asking if they can get your information. We'll let?s see about the following optics. If I meet you at a party in Finland, I ask your name and then introduce you to some friends, can you process me?

By Origin EULA they are allowed to check your usage of Adobe products and sell that info to Adobe.

Is that something you as EA customer see as improving the service?

 

[SinisterGehe]

According to them, this contract is not binding in Finland. SO when they spy my computer, I can sue them for it! H'ray, I got myself a new hobby!

But they are not exactly spying on you. They are asking if they can get your information. We'll let?s see about the following optics. If I meet you at a party in Finland, I ask your name and then introduce you to some friends, can you process me?

Pardon the word I used there, but according to Finnish law they are spying me. Our privacy laws are very strict.

 

[winter2]

According to them, this contract is not binding in Finland. SO when they spy my computer, I can sue them for it! H'ray, I got myself a new hobby!

But they are not exactly spying on you. They are asking if they can get your information. We'll let?s see about the following optics. If I meet you at a party in Finland, I ask your name and then introduce you to some friends, can you process me?

Pardon the word I used there, but according to Finnish law they are spying me. Our privacy laws are very strict.

In that case, no Origin in Finland then.

 

[Anjel]

Re Finland legal issues;

Who is at fault? EA for spying via Origin or the consumer for aiding and abetting EA by installing the software after knowing what it does? I only say this because you have to believe EA has considered legal issues in certain countries and I'd not put it past them to try and bring down their... ugh, 'fanbase' with them.

 

[SinisterGehe]

According to them, this contract is not binding in Finland. SO when they spy my computer, I can sue them for it! H'ray, I got myself a new hobby!

But they are not exactly spying on you. They are asking if they can get your information. We'll let?s see about the following optics. If I meet you at a party in Finland, I ask your name and then introduce you to some friends, can you process me?

Pardon the word I used there, but according to Finnish law they are spying me. Our privacy laws are very strict.

In that case, no Origin in Finland then.

Well what I heard from some others it should be about the same in Sweden, Norway and in Denmark. They are not sure but they are contacting their own bureaus for confirmation.

It is bigger loss to them than it is to me really :=)

 

[Still Life]

Personally, I don't have a huge issue with this.

What's even dumber is that people installed this without reading the goddamn agreement!

A big part of the issue is that the licensing agreements are quite often covered in pages of convoluted and complex legal discourse, that the average user would not be able to comprehend. Nor should they be expected to. It's quite debatable whether it is legitimate grounds for legally binding contracts given the fact.

There has to be middle ground, because both the consumer and the corporation have some degree of fault in this matter.

As for this news:

I do not appreciate a corporation rifling through my personal files -- fuck you EA.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

So, EA automatically turned my EA account (had for Dragon Age and Bulletstorm) into an Origin account, am I still safe from this as long as I don't install it?

 

[Mangue Surfer]

By Origin EULA they are allowed to check your usage of Adobe products and sell that info to Adobe.

Is that something you as EA customer see as improving the service?

But by Adobe Reader X EULA they already get my data every time that I open a pdf file. By the same EULA they can send or sell the data for others too.

Anyway, Don't you really can't see any advantage in data exchanging between GPU manufacturers and game developers?

Pardon the word I used there, but according to Finnish law they are spying me. Our privacy laws are very strict.

So you can put me in jail if I tell your name to friends even if you agree?

 

[Alanosborn1991]

With all this back and forth info between the console and Pc versions it looks now that they are trying to make the console versions seem the better buy.

But is this wrong of them? Or do they just want to make a more cohesive, fun experience for Consoles without having to deal with Lag of 64 player battles and people with different Computer setups on PC.

Either way EA will probably stand there ground with this unless they get hundreds of thousands of people against it.

 

[DaMullet]

It still boggles the mind as to how this much of an invasion of privacy can be legal.

Well, if you agree to it in writing, everything can be legal!!

Don't you love lawyers?



On a side note, I give it a month before some brilliant hacker comes up with an origin bypass that allows games to think that origin is installed but actually isn't.

 

[somonels]

Can't google do the same exact thing? Them and a lot of other "free" service providers.

On a side note, I give it a month before some brilliant hacker comes up with an origin bypass that allows games to think that origin is installed but actually isn't.

Well, yes but the servers will likely check the validity of this claim, meaning you still can't play MP.

 

[SextusMaximus]

EA this year "modern warfare 3 will suck!" "apple are going to go downhill" "origin monitors your computer" "we don't want our stuff on valve cus they r smelly"

To be fair, they've got one thing right. Everything else is bull though.

 

[randomsix]

This has got to be some kind of experiment to see how the rate of piracy changes with relation to DRM intrusiveness. That's the interpretation I make of this whole business, and while I suppose it may be a good idea for science, it is annoying in the short term.

 

[Dresos]

Do not want. I was interested in BF3 at first but first they said it wouldn't come to steam and then they said that you'd have to download orgin to play it and now THIS! Sorry but it's just not worth it for me.

 

[PingoBlack]

Anyway, Don't you really can't see any advantage in data exchanging between GPU manufacturers and game developers?

EA has only right to ask about data concerning themselves and their products (Origin, games running through it). Mayor complaint here is they took the liberty to poke everyone else's business too.

 

[GWarface]

But c'mon people, unless you have kiddy porn (you sick bastard) I don't think you have anything to worry about.

[HEADING=2]Citizens of The World,[/HEADING]

We have decided to do something about the increasing rates of domestic violence in this wonderful world of ours. Close circuit television cameras will be installed in all of your houses so that we may find these despicable people who attack their partner.

As people who live in peace with their partner, I am sure you will have nothing to worry about from the cameras. They are purely their for your own protection.

People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.

I have to say, this is the best post in this thread so far..

I think about this whole Origin thing as a way of beta-testing how much shit we will put up with, just so we can play our little precious games..

And if people dont open their eyes to what our future might look like, your analogy could very well be real, sooner or later..