I haven't posted on here for awhile, but today I bring you something that we all know needs to stop. EA posted in their Origin ToS that if you use Origin, they are allowed to snoop around on your PC. The downside to this, all future EA PC games will be requiring Origin. The only way to stop this is to vote with your wallet and to send mass emails to EA. Letting them know that this is not acceptable. This needs to be posted on the NEWS section of every game website so every gamer knows what EA is trying to do. 
 
Remember people. We have a right to privacy and this is not acceptable.
 
http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/js51f/ea_origin_spyware_issue_silently_boycotting_will/

So Origin will know if your looking at porn with an EA game in window mode?

Doubtful that they'll do that considering it's illegal in Canada as far as I know.

Where's the part that says what I'm supposed to be scared of, I just see a bunch of crazy reactions.

So Origin will know if your looking at porn with an EA game in window mode?

Good, they know their Origin Games folder is empty while my steamapps folder probably has over a hundred gigs worth of games, even their stupid Sims games.

@CL60 said:

Doubtful that they'll do that considering it's illegal in Canada as far as I know.

Wouldn't put it past them.

@The_Laughing_Man said:

So Origin will know if your looking at porn with an EA game in window mode?

I'm afraid so. From now on, I will have to close Origin if I want to watch Weapons of Ass Destruction 12.

Doubtful that they'll do that considering it's illegal in Canada as far as I know.

You realise that all that stuff that's listed is pretty innocent, this seems like another massive overreaction.

IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT, OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE SKIP BATTLEFIELD 3. 
 
That's not fair, EA.

The only real problem that I have with it is that it's not an opt-in kind of deal. I honestly don't really care though - hell, Google knows everything about me by now. Blizzard did something similar once and it was changed within a week. Valve does the same thing but asks you if you want to opt-in. They'll probably change it since people bitch, but I'm also tiring of the massive overreactions to everything Origin. I also fucking hate Reddit.

Now that I think about it. Doesnt steam do the same thing? 

Didn't Blizzard do this with World of Warcraft too?

IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT, OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE SKIP BATTLEFIELD 3.  That's not fair, EA.

Woah, really? 
 
Fuck that.

I don't care.

@iDarktread said:

IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT, OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE SKIP BATTLEFIELD 3.  That's not fair, EA.

If you don't want to possibly get cancer, don't smoke? Choices!

Why is it that for every video, screenshot, developer diary, blog entry, and alpha test that I see for this game that gets me TOTALLY PUMPED, EA has some bullshit piece of news slip out that makes me greatly hesitate purchasing the game? (I'm buying for pc) 
 
I mean, I've already paid off the game, I paid it off in FEBRUARY. But I keep on getting inched closer and closer to canceling that pre-order. Not because "lol boycott" because that word means nothing in this industry anymore.   No, just because I don't want to deal with what I keep hearing about. 
 
First, it was just origin, which was inconvenient, but nothing more than that. (seriously EA, you make your own version of steam which is way better? Even though you will only put EA games on it, limiting the god damn potential of your platform?) Then I hear about the lack of mod support, which I pretty much shrugged off as I tend to not mod these days anyways. Then it's the bullshit pre order bonuses that put us right back into the Bad Company 1 days of "gold edition" guns, but I bite my tongue and write it off because I really want to play BF3 and won't let it faze me. Then I hear about the absolute removal from steam, and the mysterious haze around the true reason that persists to this day. Then it's the Battlelog that removes any sort of cohesive menu system from the game, including from single player. This not only makes me EXTREMELY susceptible  to being bombarded with ads just because they can, AND it more than likely means "always on" DRM for the single player (you need to go back to the "main menu" if you want to change levels. Better be online for it). 
 
THEN IT'S THIS. 
 
 
I'm sorry, it's been a long day at work, and I tend to not swear as much as this. I also tend to pay better mind to my grammar and punctation. I would have long ago just given up on ever aspiring to play the game, but I just want to play this one that badly.

You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that 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. EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you. IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE APPLICATION.  Uh, okay? So they get my IP address and OS, and they know if it's installed and what games I buy.  Are you guys fucking stupid? Calm down.

@The_Nubster said:

You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that 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. EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you. IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE APPLICATION.  Uh, okay? So they get my IP address and OS, and they know if it's installed and what games I buy.  Are you guys fucking stupid? Calm down.

The way that is worded, it does sound like it only includes origin software and games. It sounds like it includes all system level application changes and uses.  I don't care if they watch what games I play, those are called statistics and aggregate data for me. But I don't want them snooping the programs I download and use. also "for marketing purposes" is a bit upsetting. Normally that would be an "opt in" sort of thing I think.  Also, just to defend my post, this isn't a sort of "last straw" or "huge issue" sort of thing for me. It's just another part of the giant snowball that is my confidence in my own desire to purchase BF3 (notice I am not threatening nor claiming boycott)

I suppose it is, I think I might actually go read the ToS (for once, HA) of steam to check for scary lawyer stuff. 
 
I guess I can file this under "I guess it's not all that bad, really" and keep on the track of buying BF3, but if you happened to see my earlier post in this thread, you might see that I keep getting my occasional discouragement.

LOL.

Get the pitchforks, men!

*rolls eyes*

Honestly, this probably happens with a billion other programs as well. They just don't tell you about it.

@clstirens said:

@The_Nubster said:

You agree that EA may collect, use, store and transmit technical and related information that 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. EA may also use this information combined with personal information for marketing purposes and to improve our products and services. We may also share that data with our third party service providers in a form that does not personally identify you. IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE APPLICATION. Uh, okay? So they get my IP address and OS, and they know if it's installed and what games I buy. Are you guys fucking stupid? Calm down.

The way that is worded, it does not sound like it only includes origin software and games. It sounds like it includes all system level application changes and uses. I don't care if they watch what games I play, those are called statistics and aggregate data for me. But I don't want them snooping the programs I download and use. also "for marketing purposes" is a bit upsetting. Normally that would be an "opt in" sort of thing I think. Also, just to defend my post, this isn't a sort of "last straw" or "huge issue" kind of thing for me. It's just another part of the giant snowball that is my confidence in my own desire to purchase BF3 (notice I am not threatening nor claiming boycott)

Yeah, it's the wording I have issue with. I don't give a shit if they know I only played 2 hours of DA2 or whatever, but if they know what other shit I'm doing all the time that's not cool.

Doubt it's that though.

@rjayb89 said:

Good, they know their Origin Games folder is empty while my steamapps folder probably has over a hundred gigs worth of games, even their stupid Sims games.

This.

I think I'll wait until I see a comparison for this and Steam.
 
I'm pretty sure Steam has that too. But if they don't....then I'll probably skip Battlefield 3, and get Mass Effect 3 on the 360

@Doctorchimp: You being okay with it depends on whether Steam has it instead of how it actually affects you? Really?

Honestly, this probably happens with a billion other programs as well. They just don't tell you about it.

@EveretteScott said:

@iDarktread said:

IF YOU DO NOT WANT EA TO COLLECT, USE, STORE, TRANSMIT, OR DISPLAY THE DATA DESCRIBED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE SKIP BATTLEFIELD 3.  That's not fair, EA.

If you don't want to possibly get cancer, don't smoke? Choices!

I don't think you understand the situation at hand.

I'm not using Origin anyway, so boo-hoo.

This does suck and just because other services may do it doesn't make it better. It's basically a license that gives them the right to check out anything you do, and then use that to market to you and also sell that information to other 3rd parties. I don't mind targeted ads, I prefer them, but this is just ridiculous.

I might just spam them with physical mail, I've got stamps to use up.

First world problems....

Oh, no, EA is going to snoop around on my computer when I play Dragon Age 3 and look through all my wedding photos and steal the great American novel I'm writing.

Except that's not what's happening at all.

So yeah, I don't care about this in the slightest. I use Windows and use the Internet. Psycho Mantis can look at my memory card and tell me I like Castlevania games. I don't care.

I think I'll wait until I see a comparison for this and Steam.  I'm pretty sure Steam has that too. But if they don't....then I'll probably skip Battlefield 3, and get Mass Effect 3 on the 360

Euh, dude, welcome to the 21st century. Companies have been doing this for years. I bet that if you look through your list of installed programs and/or games, you will find at least a handful that collect similar information in the background.

FYI, I work at a company that is in to a large degree involved in digital distribution of ads. What we're seeing is that most marketers see this as the future. Track user data to tailor advertisement to what the user wants. The funny thing is that everyone on the "other side" sees this as a way to help the end user, so they don't have to see ads that have no interest to them, less spammy crap and more of a personalized experience. Unfortunately this entails what some would consider an invasion of privacy.

Personally I don't see the problem. All the data collected will be too massive for any person to do anything with, it's all going to AIs which sort anonymous users into categories for likes and dislikes. Unless you're using a service which markets porn, your porn stash couldn't be of less interest to these systems.

It's the 3DS tinfoil hats again.

Your privacy is constantly invaded every day on the internet, what makes this one so special?

At least they say that The Old Republic doesn't use Origin if you buy a retail copy like I will. Thanks for the heads up since most people don't read that stuff.

@President_Barackbar said:

Your privacy is constantly invaded every day on the internet, what makes this one so special?

It's trendy to bash EA.

Windows is already snooping around my PC (And I let it) and no Anti-Pirate Special Forces Squad has repelled from a Helicopter into my home. Yet.

Overreactions hooray!
 
You sods will all be using Origin a year from now.

@Vodun said:

FYI, I work at a company that is in to a large degree involved in digital distribution of ads. What we're seeing is that most marketers see this as the future. Track user data to tailor advertisement to what the user wants. The funny thing is that everyone on the "other side" sees this as a way to help the end user, so they don't have to see ads that have no interest to them, less spammy crap and more of a personalized experience. Unfortunately this entails what some would consider an invasion of privacy.

Personally I don't see the problem. All the data collected will be too massive for any person to do anything with, it's all going to AIs which sort anonymous users into categories for likes and dislikes. Unless you're using a service which markets porn, your porn stash couldn't be of less interest to these systems.

Personalized ads were a 'future thing' in Shadowrun, and I thought it sounded cool then. I only want to see ads for Mass Effect 3, Dr. Pepper and dubstep.

@Doctorchimp said:

I think I'll wait until I see a comparison for this and Steam.  I'm pretty sure Steam has that too. But if they don't....then I'll probably skip Battlefield 3, and get Mass Effect 3 on the 360

From what I just looked up about Steam, it's data survey is optional.

@Brodehouse: That's the dream we're trying to realize. Advertisers make nothing from showing ads to someone who's not interested in 'em. The real trick is trying to find an acceptable balance between personalization and intrusion.

The vast majority of folk have nothing to hide, so this is is most probably just another over-reaction.