Blizzard Forums to use real ID name

[entrerix]

all the information is already available. your address and phone number etc all that it already out there, having your name on blizzard.com won't change that. the only real issue seems to be the connection between your already available information, and the fact that you are registered on blizzard.com.

 

if you're going to get fired for playing wow, maybe its time to quit. (ambiguity intentional)

[Thorton_AP]

I think that blizzard may end up recinding this change given the publicity and the stupidly large amounts of negative reactions to it.

 

http://kotaku.com/5581209/blizzards-real-n...ns-in-an-uproar

 

What they've more likely done is made Blizzard reconsider whether or not "Blue's" can post under pseudonyms.

 

 

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say, This is the Internet. Facebook and Myspace etc let you CHOOSE to release your name (and most people do) which helps when you're showing off your pictures etc. However, WoW's forums are not a location where you want real life to interfere with what is (ultimately) an escapist activity. You don't want to go onto your realms forums and see your boss crying out because your character stole something from him in the game, and (as has been pointed out in the gigantic thread on their boards) if people post on the forums, then they open themselves up to prospective employers saying "We won't hire you because of your online habits."

 

You can most definitely CHOOSE to not post on the Blizzard forums (I know I won't). You can also CHOOSE to not be a part of real ID. You can also CHOOSE alternative (and IMO, more effective) forms of tech support from their website aside from using the forum. You can also CHOOSE to go to other forums (and there are plenty) to discuss WoW and WoW related issues.

 

I understand their original intent for this, but removing the "wretches" when you could just ban their account from the forums for constant trolling (but not the game) by forcing people to release what many consider to be personal information on the internet and thus open themselves up to real life consequences for playing something that has such negative stigma is not the way to go.

 

IMO blizzard has basically just singlehandedly killed their forums, and probably angered the ESRB a TINY bit given the amount of complaints they're receiving at this point.

 

Blizzard may have just single handedly killed their forums (a bit of me wonders if that was their intent to be honest), but that only really affects Blizzard. The only reason this will kill Blizzard's forum though, is if people exercise the choice that you seem to imply they do not have.

[Thorton_AP]

Post your name and info here if you'd prefer.

 

Several people on here know that and I've posted links that have my real name before (I'll not re-post them but feel free to dig through the archives if you want to find it).

 

 

Hey, if you're okay if someone posted all of your information for all to see, then that's your own prerogative.

 

Did I ever say that? All I'm saying is that it's not illegal in itself and thus your hope of legal action is misplaced.

 

Fair enough. The point was more along the lines of "I hope this backfires in this smug bastard's face" because he could have gotten his point across a lot easier, because he certainly demonstrated he has no issues compromising his apparent beliefs to post information about a Blizzard employee because of... what exactly? Because he won't be able to use Blizzard's forums they way he would like to use them?

 

Thumbs up to this guy for sure.

[Mamoulian War]

Hey, if you're okay if someone posted all of your information for all to see, then that's your own prerogative. I have a feeling you wouldn't be, and if someone did this to you and it resulted in harassment, you'd be none-to-pleased about it.

 

I wouldn't, and that's why i do not post on any forums under my real name... I do not want any asshat to datamine all information about me which can be obtained by legal means and post it there, here or anywhere else on TEH INTERNETZ!!11ONE

 

Are you condoning and supporting the actions of the guy that did? (I also didn't ask you, but hey, since you've volunteered).

 

Be honest (even though it's the internet and you can just make **** up as you want): What are your thoughts about the guy sharing the information about the Blizzard Employee? Do you feel vindicated like he is "fighting the good fight?" Because you can just as easily get this guy's name from the instruction manual. But I have a feeling it'd be different if THAT is where someone found his name.... Wouldn't it?

 

He did not done anything illegal, he just searched through publicly available information, based on the Real Name posted on the gaming forums. Therefore as i said, i never use my real name on any gaming forums... You can wreak havoc without breaking any law, and no one will ever try or force you to stop, therefore i think the RealID requirement for gaming forum posting is one of the most retarded moves in gaming industry, which is even beating the Ubisoft newest DRM by big margin.

 

edit: and yes, i do think it is "good fight" because he just pointed out how any real name can be easily abused in a few minutes, thus showing the biggest flaw of this idea... That his name is available in the gaming manual is irrelevant to this discussion.

Edited July 7, 2010 by Mamoulian War

[entrerix]

i think a better system would just be to permaban someone who trolls after receiving 1 warning. private forums are a privilege, not a right. no fuss no muss because its hard to post 1000 pages of complaints about being banned after you've been banned

[Mamoulian War]

to further prove my point, i am quoting one post from ArsTechnica forums...

 

Proditus wrote:

I made an account just to say this. Speaking as a WoW player, it has become quite clear what the consequences of this new addition are. I have recently been visiting the forums the past few days, but the announcement of the changes that are being added have sparked a mass of forum activity I have never seen before - a flood of users who are all protesting the planned changes - a community united now more than ever before.

 

An incident involving a boy from Canada occurred. The kid tempted fate and posted their name on the forums, where a single user was able to find all of their personal information in a matter of minutes - including phone number, place of residence, family members, school address, hometown, friends, interests, and email address. The search for this information took a good 10 minutes, and the person who found the information soon after deleted it, because they are more morally righteous than other people who use the forums.

 

I have also seen that one of the staff members attempted to prove the harmlessness of these changes by revealing his real name. What did happen was that his information - as well as the information of an innocent and completely uninvolved person who happens to have the same name and lives in the same state - became public knowledge. And now, not only is this Blizzard employee facing the ramifications of posting his information, but another person, an entirely innocent person who knows nothing about all of this, must now deal with their information being visible to the less-than-reputable and possibly even terrorist groups like 4chan.

 

And how has Blizzard dealt with these incidents? Delete every single comment that reveals their names, because they don't trust the information of their staff members being on the forums.

 

edit: The kids name was not printed in any gaming manual btw...

Edited July 7, 2010 by Mamoulian War

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Thumbs up to this guy for sure.

 

To quote another conversation I had about this:

 

"Yes, I agree that a better demonstration could have been made (if I were him I would have asked for a random volunteer that way there's no impetus to troll and the person consented for their information to be posted - or even better yet the guy could have data-mined himself). The way things are currently I think that the blog post, and the comments that provide more information, should be purged and possible legal action taken if it is found that the intent was to harass. The last part is going to be hard unless there is a clear "go forth and cause mayhem for this dude named X" type command and I'm not seeing it on the initial post (I've not read all the comments, and I'm not planing to, but something might be there). However I have no sympathy for those harassing and hope that they're held accountable for their actions."

[Mamoulian War]

Thumbs up to this guy for sure.

 

To quote another conversation I had about this:

 

"Yes, I agree that a better demonstration could have been made (if I were him I would have asked for a random volunteer that way there's no impetus to troll and the person consented for their information to be posted - or even better yet the guy could have data-mined himself). The way things are currently I think that the blog post, and the comments that provide more information, should be purged and possible legal action taken if it is found that the intent was to harass. The last part is going to be hard unless there is a clear "go forth and cause mayhem for this dude named X" type command and I'm not seeing it on the initial post (I've not read all the comments, and I'm not planing to, but something might be there). However I have no sympathy for those harassing and hope that they're held accountable for their actions."

 

And yes i could agree with this person oppinion, BUT... the original poster did nothing illegal, he just googled for publicly available information, and posted them on a forum. The people who are doing the harassment of the person, based upon the information they got from internet are doing illegal stuff... That's a big difference...

[Deadly_Nightshade]

...the original poster did nothing illegal, he just googled for publicly available information, and posted them on a forum.

 

Intent also plays a factor, there's a recent case in VA where someone was found guilty for posting information because he also encouraged people to do harm (in fact a gas line was cut under the house). As pointed out, the intent so far is not clear, but depending on the details it could have been illegal to post that information.

[Mamoulian War]

...the original poster did nothing illegal, he just googled for publicly available information, and posted them on a forum.

 

Intent also plays a factor, there's a recent case in VA where someone was found guilty for posting information because he also encouraged people to do harm (in fact a gas line was cut under the house). As pointed out, the intent so far is not clear, but depending on the details it could have been illegal to post that information.

 

ok i am not very good with various laws in different countries, but i read all the pages of the discussion (at the time i read it there were 5 pages of discussion), and i do not recall reading anywhere, that the OP did encourage stalking or harassing the person... then in my eyes he did not anything illegal... but as i said, i am not law expert

[LadyCrimson]

i think a better system would just be to permaban someone who trolls after receiving 1 warning. private forums are a privilege, not a right. no fuss no muss because its hard to post 1000 pages of complaints about being banned after you've been banned

I have no way of knowing the entirety of Blizzard's methods for banning forum users, but I can say that no method is foolproof, if someone is determined and has either tech knowledge and/or funds. For one thing, with the way it is now, the simplest thing to do is buy another copy of the game (for a CD key), create a new account and start posting again.

 

What I'm seeing on the fora is a lot of people canceling their accounts/subscriptions, either claiming it's for good, or in order to start over with a new account/disk/etc to try and circumvent the real-name issue.

 

Yeah...it'll really stop the trolls, all right.

[213374U]

And I guarantee you that some russian or chinese teenager seeking a way to get bonus to his pocket money, would easily get all your information from the "secure" web with proper targeted datamining, if he thought you are worth the trouble...

Yes, but it doesn't matter because then I could hire a bunch of Lithuanian hitmen to take them out, so my secret involvement with the Zionist-communist global conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids remains secret!!!1

 

 

He did not done anything illegal, he just searched through publicly available information, based on the Real Name posted on the gaming forums.

Divulging private information, even if said information is available elsewhere, without the owner's consent, can be a crime, depending on many things, jurisdiction among them. I'd recommend you look it up before you try anything of the sort.

 

 

edit: and yes, i do think it is "good fight" because he just pointed out how any real name can be easily abused in a few minutes, thus showing the biggest flaw of this idea... That his name is available in the gaming manual is irrelevant to this discussion.

Actually, he showed just how ONE real name can be abused. I'd like to see how exactly you jump from that to your assertion that "any name can be easily abused in a few minutes". No, we aren't accepting lithuanian hitmen, asian leet haxors or ninja pirates as evidence. And keep the fearmongering to a minimum, if at all possible.

[LadyCrimson]

You definitely can't find tons of personal/abusive info on "everyone in a few minutes"....or even hundreds of minutes. But as I tried to point out before, you don't have to have a Facebook account etc. to be able to find out something, if there is anything to be found.

 

First+last name + the usual "I'm 24/from Boston, where are you from?" + "I just got a scholarship to Yale!" or even "here's my (owned domainname) website URL" type of posts are great places to start potential stalking/harassment. I like to think most here aren't actually all that concerned with being murdered - that would be extremely rare indeed - but I certainly don't want a plethora of angry or practical joker gamers trying to call my phone 24 hours a days, or whatnot.

[Mamoulian War]

And I guarantee you that some russian or chinese teenager seeking a way to get bonus to his pocket money, would easily get all your information from the "secure" web with proper targeted datamining, if he thought you are worth the trouble...

Yes, but it doesn't matter because then I could hire a bunch of Lithuanian hitmen to take them out, so my secret involvement with the Zionist-communist global conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids remains secret!!!1

 

 

He did not done anything illegal, he just searched through publicly available information, based on the Real Name posted on the gaming forums.

Divulging private information, even if said information is available elsewhere, without the owner's consent, can be a crime, depending on many things, jurisdiction among them. I'd recommend you look it up before you try anything of the sort.

 

 

edit: and yes, i do think it is "good fight" because he just pointed out how any real name can be easily abused in a few minutes, thus showing the biggest flaw of this idea... That his name is available in the gaming manual is irrelevant to this discussion.

Actually, he showed just how ONE real name can be abused. I'd like to see how exactly you jump from that to your assertion that "any name can be easily abused in a few minutes". No, we aren't accepting lithuanian hitmen, asian leet haxors or ninja pirates as evidence. And keep the fearmongering to a minimum, if at all possible.

 

I posted another example of another name already abused on top of page 8 of this thread

[Calax]

Their EULA/Terms of Service forbid players from revealing their login information, in whole or in part.

 

With the switch over to Battle.net accounts for login, your login is the email address connected to the account.

 

To connect to someone using RealID, you must give them the email address connected to the account.

 

Therefore, using RealID is a violation of the Terms of Service.

 

That's taken from one of the lead developers on City Of Heroes/Villians.

[213374U]

First+last name + the usual "I'm 24/from Boston, where are you from?" + "I just got a scholarship to Yale!" or even "here's my (owned domainname) website URL" type of posts are great places to start potential stalking/harassment.

Exactly. It's up to each person to protect their own privacy. This much should be obvious, no?

 

 

I posted another example of another name already abused on top of page 8 of this thread

*WOOOSH*

 

So, that makes two names. If I'm doing my math right, then according to you, 2 = ∞, right?

[Mamoulian War]

First+last name + the usual "I'm 24/from Boston, where are you from?" + "I just got a scholarship to Yale!" or even "here's my (owned domainname) website URL" type of posts are great places to start potential stalking/harassment.

Exactly. It's up to each person to protect their own privacy. This much should be obvious, no?

 

 

I posted another example of another name already abused on top of page 8 of this thread

*WOOOSH*

 

So, that makes two names. If I'm doing my math right, then according to you, 2 = ∞, right?

 

Nope, but so far 2 people posted their real names on Blizz forums... so 2 out of 2 is 100% success of abusement Now do your math

[LadyCrimson]

First+last name + the usual "I'm 24/from Boston, where are you from?" + "I just got a scholarship to Yale!" or even "here's my (owned domainname) website URL" type of posts are great places to start potential stalking/harassment.

Exactly. It's up to each person to protect their own privacy. This much should be obvious, no?

So online we can't even share our age on a public fora because in combo w/real names that exposes us to too much potential stranger-harassment risk? Ridiculous. I'd rather be able to share more info/converse more freely and skip the name than the other way around. Let me decide if I trust someone enough to then give them my name/info/meet.

 

Also, you're still missing the point that sometimes it has nothing to do with what YOU put on the web yourself. I have another friend who in 2003 had family obituary printed in a local newspaper. They put it online, and it's still there. Some careers/schools may require certain info to be public domain because of needing updated licenses etc. Should we all now never put obituaries or wedding announcements in the paper because it's too much risk w/all the 'net info/don't know when they might decide to start putting it online to 'modernize' their archives?

Edited July 7, 2010 by LadyCrimson

[Calax]

First+last name + the usual "I'm 24/from Boston, where are you from?" + "I just got a scholarship to Yale!" or even "here's my (owned domainname) website URL" type of posts are great places to start potential stalking/harassment.

Exactly. It's up to each person to protect their own privacy. This much should be obvious, no?

 

 

I posted another example of another name already abused on top of page 8 of this thread

*WOOOSH*

 

So, that makes two names. If I'm doing my math right, then according to you, 2 = ∞, right?

 

Nope, but so far 2 people posted their real names on Blizz forums... so 2 out of 2 is 100% success of abusement Now do your math

One of the community relations department said that all of the blizz posters will be using their real names.

[213374U]

Nope, but so far 2 people posted their real names on Blizz forums... so 2 out of 2 is 100% success of abusement Now do your math

Wow, your logic is... wow.

 

Are you just trolling me or...? Seriously, explain to me in great detail how 1, 2 or n where n ∈ N is equivalent to "any/all", because I can't seem to solve that one on my own.

 

 

So online we can't even share our age on a public fora because in combo w/real names that exposes us to too much potential stranger-harassment risk? Ridiculous. I'd rather be able to share more info/converse more freely and skip the name than the other way around. Let me decide if I trust someone enough to then give them my name/info/meet.

What I'm saying is that you should never, under any circumstances, make personal data available to the public at large, unless it's strictly necessary OR you don't care about possible abuses of such data. Names, by themselves, are innocuous.

 

At any rate, it's your call. This doesn't mean the end of all anonymity on the internet.

 

 

Some careers/schools may require certain info to be public domain because of needing updated licenses etc. Should we all now never put obituaries or wedding announcements in the paper because it's too much risk w/all the 'net info/don't know when they might decide to start putting it online to 'modernize' their archives?

Huh? What does this have to do with the topic? Those examples aren't new, and stalkers aren't either. I fail to see how posting on a message board under your real name (btw, this isn't new, I've seen it in other boards where it's customary, not enforced) is a sudden qualitative jump wrt privacy risk, unless your privacy is already exposed to some degree. Chances are that the guy that's going to rape or kill you is somebody you know, not some teen asshat from the other side of the world.

 

You guys must all be really interesting/important people. I wish I also had masses of would-be stalkers biting their nails at the chance to get my real name.

[Purkake]

Post your name and info here if you'd prefer.

 

Several people on here know that and I've posted links that have my real name before (I'll not re-post them but feel free to dig through the archives if you want to find it).

The thread where you were pimping your monkey game? It has mysteriously disappeared.

[Deadly_Nightshade]

Post your name and info here if you'd prefer.

 

Several people on here know that and I've posted links that have my real name before (I'll not re-post them but feel free to dig through the archives if you want to find it).

The thread where you were pimping your monkey game? It has mysteriously disappeared.

 

Monkey game? What are you talking about?

Edited July 8, 2010 by Deadly_Nightshade

[LadyCrimson]

Some careers/schools may require certain info to be public domain because of needing updated licenses etc. Should we all now never put obituaries or wedding announcements in the paper because it's too much risk w/all the 'net info/don't know when they might decide to start putting it online to 'modernize' their archives?

Huh? What does this have to do with the topic? Those examples aren't new, and stalkers aren't either. I fail to see how posting on a message board under your real name (btw, this isn't new, I've seen it in other boards where it's customary, not enforced) is a sudden qualitative jump wrt privacy risk, unless your privacy is already exposed to some degree. Chances are that the guy that's going to rape or kill you is somebody you know, not some teen asshat from the other side of the world.

 

You guys must all be really interesting/important people. I wish I also had masses of would-be stalkers biting their nails at the chance to get my real name.

You seem to have missed where I wrote: I like to think most here aren't actually all that concerned with being murdered - that would be extremely rare indeed - but I certainly don't want a plethora of angry or practical joker gamers trying to call my phone 24 hours a days, or whatnot.

 

Do I think some irate gamer is going to hunt me down and shoot me? Well, while it's remotely possible, the odds sure are against it so I'm not worried about that really. But harassment takes many forms, not just physical harm ones. This isn't a matter of a small circle of workmates or friends or University employees/colleagues or the occasional curious person, it's random thousands, hundreds of thousands, on an open entertainment fora often filled with immature folk who might think finding your info than mailing/calling is fun revenge because they don't like your posts...or whatever. Is such life threatening? Nah. But it sure would be bloody annoying, eh?

[Purkake]

@Nightshade: Something about pirate ships and monkeys on XBOX Live Arcade.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Purkake

[Deadly_Nightshade]

@Nightshade: Something about pirate ships and monkeys on XBOX Live Arcade.

 

You're thinking of Nightshape.