Origin and it's EULA

Dave147

Surprised there isn't another thread about this, or if there is I haven't seen it.

I got the game today but haven't opened it yet and am going to return it due to the EULA that you are forced to agree to by installing Origin, which is spyware plain and simple. If you are happy for EA to have full access to all your private documents and details then install away. Bringing game into GameStop tomorrow for a refund.

I'm also aware that they apparently tweaked the EULA to say they won't sell your information but the damage is already done. Remove Origin and I'll consider playing it. Disgrace.

MajesticDonkey

Yeah, I did bring that up in the main Battlefield thread here. At the minute, the game is sitting at home waiting for me to come home from college!

In the meantime, after hearing that the EULA breaks German privacy law, I asked a neighbour of mine (who's a solicitor) to look into it. He should be getting back to me on it tomorrow. From quick reading though, he said there isn't much to worry about, stating that it says "non identifiable information only).

My opinion at first was "OMG return the game!", but after hearing different opinions all over the internet I've changed my mind. One of the best I heard was on some forum where a guy asked the question: "how did Mark Zuckerburg get so rich?" The answer being he got everyone to give him their (very) personal information without even asking for it. Facebook knows where you live, work, eat, drink, your interests, your attitude, politics, what you say and where you say it. They're even beginning to work out what you look like, with facial recognition in photos. And yet nearly a million people join Facebook every day. Do you see the contradiction?

I think on one hand you have the people who say that EA shouldn't be looking at the information in the first place, and then you have other people who say fair play to EA for not being sneaky about looking through your stuff!

But in my opinion now, once you connect to the internet you say good bye to privacy. Your IP address is all over the internet, and with geo-based IP locations getting more accurate, where you're connected to the internet will become widely available. A geo-based IP check on my IP says I'm in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, which is about ~30 miles off - which isn't bad considering this is Ireland, where addresses aren't our strong point.

Anyway, based on the good reviews I'll be installing the game as soon as I get my hands on it (tomorrow evening). But if you're still iffy, I've heard some people have gotten Sandboxie to work.

cherryghost

Oh hey bro, welcome to 2004. I assume you were there for the hatred of Steam and its bugs? tbh Origin isn't a patch on the issues Steam had all those years ago. Oh, and read the Steam EULA. It says pretty much the same thing except its worded in a more consumer friendly format. Technically they own ALL your games no matter what you say.

By using Valve's online sites and products, users agree that Valve may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information

Oh man and do you remember 2006? When Sony's EULA says they literally own your PS3 and they can store details that are on your console? I'm fairly sure nobody made a pass on that until someone actually READ it there last year and everyone kicked up a massive fuss over it because apparently it was a 'new' part to the agreement.

Long story short; EA won't remove it, they've just signed up 7 publishers to the platform. So either play it on console or don't play it at all.

Dave147

Can't compare Facebook to this, we freely give our information to Facebook, they don't scan our harddrives looking for it. That's the problem.

Hey bro, why are you justifying what they're doing by giving previous examples? Two wrongs don't make a right, it's uncomfortable knowing your personal documents aren't secure tbh. I'd love to play the game, but I'd also like some privacy.

cherryghost

My point is everything you say/do on the internet is and never will be private. EA are doing no different than any other service provider. And you actually need to agree to a similar EULA when you log into Battlelog for PC or console too, so that's console out the window.

You should just give into temptation and play the damn game. You're missing out on one hell of a game.

Dcully

Dave147 wrote: »

Can't compare Facebook to this, we freely give our information to Facebook, they don't scan our harddrives looking for it. That's the problem.

Hey bro, why are you justifying what they're doing by giving previous examples? Two wrongs don't make a right, it's uncomfortable knowing your personal documents aren't secure tbh. I'd love to play the game, but I'd also like some privacy.

If you`d love to play the game as you say then play the damn thing.
Nobody is happy with origin eula but we get over it and enjoy the game.

MajesticDonkey

Nobody is happy with origin eula but we get over it and enjoy the game.

Exactly. Just get rid of all your porn before installing it and you'll be grand.

Tyrant^

This kind of information harvesting is everywhere on the net. No its not right but its not going to change by depriving yourself from playing video games.

EA/Origin aren't going to notice a minor decrease in projected sales due to the EULA and they wont care, the masses dont care or dont know about their information being taken.

I dont care that much. As long as I dont see gamers getting abducted late at night by EA its all good in the hood.

So anyway I am against it ... but nothing I can do about it.

Burgo

posted this in another thread; http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/7492824.page

-Trek-

Amazon is showing a 2 star rating for the game with most of the comments talking about the EULA .
I plan to continue playing it, I figure the minute I signed up to the internet my privacy has been compromised, so what the hell.

Dave147

It's the scanning of the harddrive which is annoying me. What part of that isn't Spyware? There's no need for it.

Cormic

If you are very worried about privacy of your files then I would suggest you install a program like TrueCrypt that will create a separate encrypted volume that you can put all your personal files in.

Just don't have it mounted when you run Origin or Steam.