Slashdot Mirror
Battlefield 2142 to Bundle Spyware?
An anonymous reader writes "Kotaku reports on a Shacknews Post. Battlefield 2142, the new Electronic Arts game, is expected to include mandatory spyware in the retail package. The software will apparently monitor web browser and other computer usage; this information will be used to deliver targeted in-game advertisements. Other popular game titles have included spyware in the past to aid anti-cheating measures. Is spyware acceptable to the public when it comes with a game, or has EA made a PR misstep?"
no
Now, it will have to be rated 18+
Because a game that does something I would never let a game do dang well better be free. Not to mention the computer I use to play it (or whatever system it's on). Because I sure as heck am not wasting good money on this. Yeah, it's a good idea, but I don't need another avenue for anyone to throw their products in my face. I get enough of that already.
This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
Seriously, what the hell?
If i buy BF2142, which I won't, then I've already given my share to the developers and anyone else that deserves to get paid. It would be a whole other matter if the game was free, or significantly cheaper, but it's not.
Basically, I PAY lots of money to GET ads, and there's not even a way to pay MORE to get RID of them!
Blog -
From the actual box disclaimer (linked in another's post) it appears that the software is used to monitor and/or distribute how often the in-game ads are viewed, not the browser etc. This bring a few questions:
a) Does said software run when the game isn't running
b) Does it connect on a specific port or to a specific IP (can I block it)
c) Where is this info located besides in-box. If a user has opened the box, most outlets will not accept a return
d) Can somebody give a working link/email for EA's complaints department
How can they justify calling information like your IP Address, website cookies etc. "anonymous data". Unless your at an internet café and enter false info into any websites you visit, obviously IP address and some cookies can be used to personally identify exactly who you are.
Also, they'll need to do a lot more than just bury this disclaimer deep in the EULA to get around Data protection laws in many EU countries. The article states a piece of paper included in the game. Not sure how this works for people who download it though.
Really, though, if they need help in profiling people who bought Battlefield 2142, sell them short Right Now. Advertisements for:
*sci-fi movies, models, games, paraphrenalia
*anything related to the womens. hot pr0n, internet dating sites
*deoderant (more of a public service than an advert, really)
*guns
are good ideas, and will sell
Ads for:
*sporting equipment
*feminine goods/perfumes/etc.
*sunglasses or anything outside-related
*56k modems
are bad, and will not sell.
The preceeding ideas are copyrighted by me, and can be used freely by anyone except the gaming and advertisement industries, who must pay me royalty fees if they wish to take this BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS train of thought out of the station.
Returned Peace Corps IT Volunteer
1. Yeah, unplug your computer from the internet. (I'm not kidding)
2. No, single player is limited to 16 bots. (Again, not kidding)
3. Probably not.
4. The kind of security holes that everyone will blame on Microsoft for no good reason.
5. No.
Spend $50
Hell if it has ads on it then I want the game for free. Why should I pay for the game when they will be generating money from ads geared towards me?
Can I bum a sig?
I sure hope you're joking.
Kind of funny you think someone is overreacting over the loss of privacy and actually DOING something about it the day after Slashdot runs an article over hypocritical "say one thing, do another" actions?
Slashdot | Who Cares If Privacy Is Slipping Away?
If you're actually serious, you're part of the problem -- Slashdot is violently pro-privacy, and yet then you get gems like this one that poke fun at people who actually act to do something about it.
Nice.
i am a soviet space shuttle
From that post: "Data will only be gathered from in game. Web browsing and other profiling data is not being gathered."
What data can be collected "in game" that would be useful to advertisement in game?
"The purpose of the gathering is to determine if an ad is viewed by players."
When he says, "viewed by players" does that mean viewed in game, or with a web browser?
And neither do I...
However I do have an issue with information about what I use my computer for (even when I'm NOT playing the game!) being gathered!
If they want to serve me in-game ads... well... blizzard's been doing that for years with Diablo 2 (well when you're on battlenet in-between games at least) and you haven't seen any firestorm of complaints raised there.
It's not the in-game ad issue that ticks me off, it's the spyware.