EA loves to play Big Brother role

by Joystiq Staff { Aug 8th 2006 at 9:15PM }

There's a post over at the blog Dubious Quality that points out a little something most of you may not know when you sign up to play an Electronic Arts game on Xbox Live: The company is tracking your personal information. What EA exactly wants with this info, is certainly up for debate. But the fact they are going to these extremes is a little frighting for most. Check out what they want:

If you sign up to play EA games through Microsoft's Xbox Live Service, Microsoft will provide your Xbox Live user account information to EA.
Information collected will vary depending upon the activity and may include your name, e-mail address, phone number, mobile number, home address, birth date and credit card information.
We may collect demographic information such as gender, zip code, information about your computer, hardware, software, platform, media, Internet IP address and connection, information about online activity such as feature usage, game play statistics and scores, user rankings and click paths and other data that you may provide in surveys or online profiles.

Um, you can take our credit card info? Our home address? Now, we're not one to don the tin foil hat, but put in the wrong hands, this could get a little sketchy. Anyone else have a big problem with this?

[Via Evil Avatar]

Tags: EA, Electronic Arts, ElectronicArts

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

epobirs @ Aug 8th 2006 9:23PM

Couldn't we have the classic movie Big Brother instead of something from the DU idiot holding tank?

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Big-Brother-is-Watching-You-Posters_i847514_.htm

AK @ Aug 8th 2006 9:23PM

Eh, it's not like they can start charging stuff to my credit card. The rest is pretty obtainable by any company you have ever done business with.

refinedsugar @ Aug 8th 2006 9:25PM

Credit card information in particular is overstepping the line. Everything else seems par for the course. EA games have tracked you over Xbox Live for the longest I can remember. I know this because I'd always get an email from EA whenever I tried out a demo or bought and played one of their games.

Bob @ Aug 8th 2006 9:36PM

EA OWNS YOUR SOUL. DO NOT QUESTION EA'S AUTHORITY.

OR NO MADDEN NEXT YEAR.

fat boy @ Aug 8th 2006 9:57PM

What's frighting about it? I don't see why most should be frighted. If most are uncomfortable sharing their personal information, they shouldn't sign up for the service. It's not like EA is wiretapping people or something.

1up_clock @ Aug 8th 2006 10:04PM

"EA OWNS YOUR SOUL. DO NOT QUESTION EA'S AUTHORITY.

OR NO MADDEN NEXT YEAR."

If that's true, then I should question EA's authority much, much more often than I usually do.

Comradetrotskii @ Aug 8th 2006 10:15PM

Just as well I have never felt any sort of desire to play any EA game since about 1997.

Michitastic @ Aug 8th 2006 10:16PM

I 'member something about how EA wanted this information or no Madden on Live awhile ago.

Eih'Beir @ Aug 8th 2006 10:19PM

Yeah... that's.. uh..

Yeah, I don't like that.

Josh @ Aug 8th 2006 10:35PM

OK. I said it when EA announced huge support for the Wii, but I was fine with them giving such a boost to the system, so I explained that later. However, I now, again, have no good things to say about EA anymore, so here I go again:

Fuck EA.

Dirk Dorkelson @ Aug 8th 2006 10:40PM

"What's frighting about it? I don't see why most should be frighted. If most are uncomfortable sharing their personal information, they shouldn't sign up for the service. It's not like EA is wiretapping people or something."

Well, if nothing else this certainly raises the questions of how carefully EA is safeguarding your data and whether they're sharing it with anyone. Also, the whole thing ought to be a little more transparent. EA shouldn't be able to get my credit card info just because I threw Burnout Revenge into my Xbox 360 and got online to race. That process needs to be a little more transparent.

Intangible 36- @ Aug 8th 2006 10:53PM

Yeah EA's evil...you're just now figuring this out?

flyguy @ Aug 8th 2006 10:53PM

Be a responisble adult and check your balances and such on your credit/debit card statements. Sure, it's questionable, but so is alot of other places that want that info...like #2 said.

I just hope they put my info to good use (for me)...yet I can't think of how that could be possible.

Confusatron @ Aug 8th 2006 11:09PM

When did Bob start running EA?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._%22Bob%22_Dobbs

Donny @ Aug 8th 2006 11:10PM

In my opinion. Its MS that is crossing the boundries. they shouldn't share MY info with 3rd parties. EA doesn't need to know anything about me, I didn't sign up for EA live, I signed up for xbox live. Shame on MS for sharing my info, and shame on EA for being fuck heads.

This is completely overstepping the line of consumer confidentiality. If i wanted EA to get my info. I'd give it to them! I for one will be cancelling my live subscription until I can be assured, in writing, that my info will never be shared. Its not MS's to give out. sharing info with 3rd parties is plain bullshit in this day and age where one of the most common crimes is fraud and identity theft.

PS - Can't wait for the MS fanboys to tear me apart. But hey, i'm entitled to my opinion as much as I am entitled to my info being kept private!!!!

PsyClerk @ Aug 8th 2006 11:14PM

I got an email from EA the other day asking me to link my Gamertag to an EA account. The odd thing about it was that it implied I had been playing UEFA Champions League on Xbox Live. For those of you keeping score, that game was never released in the US, and I certainly have never played it.

Anyways, the email mentioned that there is personal stat tracking across Xbox Live and EA Sports, so I'm not surprised at the depth of data they have access to.

Mike @ Aug 8th 2006 11:29PM

"EA shouldn't be able to get my credit card info just because I threw Burnout Revenge into my Xbox 360 and got online to race."

I'm not so convinced they can. Are we sure that Microsoft is giving EA anything more than a gamertag? XBL isn't even mentioned in the same paragraph as the description of the info collected, and considering that info on hardware, software, click paths, surveys, etc. have nothing to do with XBL, I have to wonder if this is simply bad proofreading - all that seems geared only to PC online games.

I'm sure we'd all like to see some clarification from either Microsoft or EA as to EXACTLY what info is shared between the two companies.

Xavier @ Aug 8th 2006 11:32PM

EA is totally going to stop making millions on video games and actually rob your bank accounts. It's secretly a criminal enterprise. Ooogah, boogah, boogie, bear.

cringer8 @ Aug 8th 2006 11:36PM

To reiterate what Dirk said, this is more about your personal information sitting on a game publisher's server. How often do these servers get hacked? Do you know how much people are willing to pay for this information (especially with a credit card number attached)?

Your credit card information should never be sent ANYWHERE without your authorization, period.

Neckfire @ Aug 8th 2006 11:37PM

You should try working there.

Everytime you boot up the computer a prompt comes up "You have no right to privacy on this network. Everything you do is being recorded, and is property of Electronic Arts. Blah blah blah, legal stuff, blah blah blah."

*Shiver* Soulless hellhole.

Griffon @ Aug 8th 2006 11:37PM

The reason EA was so late to live on the Xbox was the wanted to OWN the customer. If you where uncertain what that meant, well now you know. The OWNS your ass, and will feel free to profit from your info anyway the can, including but not limited to selling to anyway who can rub a couple nickles together. Of course it's really just a matter of time before it's all stolen and sold to spammers and what not anyway.

PayTheMan @ Aug 8th 2006 11:43PM

People are angered at this not because they can possibly abuse our credit card info, but because it's an invasion of privacy. And like many invasions of privacy, people don't know it's going on.

When I go online to play a game I don't want give out my info to some corporation or anyone else for that matter (unless I decide to buy something, in that case I knowingly make the decision to give my information).

I simply bought/played their game. I did not, however, knowingly agree to hand over my personal details to a money grubbering corporation.

It's the principle behind the whole thing that matters.

PayTheMan @ Aug 8th 2006 11:45PM

And of course the fact that they can also turn around and sell the info to the highest bidder is also a concern.

Michael @ Aug 9th 2006 12:59AM

does EA also know how many people can't spell frighten or frightening? geez i'm from alabama and i know that...also

doesn't that poster kinda look like mel gibson with a hitler moustache?! ah ha...the plot thickens.

Troy Gilbert @ Aug 9th 2006 1:12AM

First, I would expect that the EULA that's being quoted is standard boiler-plate stuff from their PC online games (considering the reference to hardware/software/etc.).

Second, if Microsoft is transferring any information to EA it's because either (a) you said they could share info with third parties when you signed up for XBL (I've not checked XBL's EULA so I don't know) or (b) MS is f*cking up.

Third, from the poster who mentioned the "no right to privacy" message that you get when you log onto work machines: this is actually well-established law. They own the network and the machines on it, and presumably you're there working on their dime. Nearly all employers have the same legal standing, it's just that EA is letting you know. Sure, not a great victory for privacy, but that particular battle (work network privacy) was lost long ago (relatively speaking).

Fish @ Aug 9th 2006 1:42AM

If XBL is giving private info to EA, then shame on both of them. Then again, there's slim to no chance that it's illegal.. and if WOULD have been illegal, the consumer probably agrees to it anyways.

I'm too lazy to read over the privacy statement from XBL, but I would assume that it would say "Microsoft will share relevant information with business partners" or something to that effect. I mean, the lawyering teams for both companies is probably equal to the population of a small country.. there's no way they don't keep their collective asses covered.

nojok3 @ Aug 9th 2006 2:02AM

I hate EA and didn't know this. Its stupid things like these that I hate that companies squeeze this in. I know you are supposed to read it but who really does? EA can go to hell

Donny @ Aug 9th 2006 2:30AM

@Fish
You're right. I'm sure they have it in the terms of use that they are allowed to do it. Which sucks.

It makes me mad. Maybe madder than I should be, but honest concerns are being raised. The more times my credit card gets transfered or given out, the more chances it has to fall into the wrong hands. Yes, in most cases, this won't happen. But its still a concern.

Donny @ Aug 9th 2006 2:51AM

Update to my last comment, from Microsoft's Online PrivacyStatement:
"Except as described in this statement, we will not disclose your personal information outside of Microsoft and its controlled subsidiaries and affiliates without your consent....Some Microsoft
services may be co-branded and offered in conjunction with another company. If you register for or use such services, both Microsoft and the other company may receive information collected in conjunction
with the co-branded services."

This may, or may not apply to Xbox Live (see the first part of the statement), but it covers a wide range of their products. It does mention Xbox in one section, but not the section of the statement I took this excerpt from. ...still don't like it, though. I'm sure the info is secure, but EA doesn't need it. Ecspecially not my credit card number.

You can view Microsoft's Privacy Statement in its entirety here: http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/fullnotice.aspx

Jdoki @ Aug 9th 2006 5:10AM

In the UK, under the data protection act an individual can request any organisation to reveal what data they hold on them.

I feel an email to EA coming on.

Anyone got access to the Terms and Conditions for either XBL or EA online?

While I don't find this frightening the question has to be asked... Why?

Why do EA need my credit card info? Or mobile phone number?

Valve collect statistical data when we play HL2 Ep1 etc, but no user info is gathered - it's anonymous.

There's also the trust and security issues. When I signed up to XBL I made certain assumptions about the safety of the data I was handing over to them.

While I'm sure EA have taken appropriate measures to secure my data (if they are indeed holding it), it is still one more place where my personal and credit card information is held.

Even if the terms of XBL or EA state that they can collect my data I don't see the point in the level of information they are collecting unless they plan to use it. There is absolutely no need for them to have my credit card details.

zombunny @ Aug 9th 2006 5:46AM

Jdoki, An email might not cut it, I'm afraid. http://www.ico.gov.uk/eventual.aspx?id=19261
There's some info.

http://www.xbox.com/en-GB/live/legal/ (Xbl Uk terms and conditions.)
http://www.ea.com/global/legal/tos.jsp (EA global terms and conditions)
I hope that proves useful.

Wow @ Aug 9th 2006 5:51AM

This has been going on for YEARS. How is this just now news?

truthteller @ Aug 9th 2006 5:55AM

Microsoft and EA don't have my personal information, because I DIDN'T GIVE IT TO THEM.

It's fucking MICROSOFT, folks, what did you think they were going to do with everyone's personal information, keep it all safe and snug and tidy and never use it for nefarious purposes?

Would you people give Adolf Hitler your credit card? Get a clue.

Oh, and if you're so concerned about your personal information, don't just go and click "yes" on any old signup agreement without reading the damn thing.

gok @ Aug 9th 2006 6:28AM

I think thats one of the fastest inductions of Goldwin's law I've ever seen. Not that i have seen many :|

Jdoki @ Aug 9th 2006 6:59AM

@30

Yes - I did think they would keep it nice and snug and not use it for nefarious purposes.

We, as consumers and individuals, are covered by various acts and laws that stop companies - no matter the size - from divulging the data they hold unless we agree to it.

Chances are when people sign up to XBL or EA there's something buried in the terms, encrypted in layers of legalese speak, that means we agree to this data being shared.

There's no suggestion that MS or EA are using that info for nefarious purposes - it's just the question of Why EA needs to hold credit card info just because soemone plays an EA game over XBL.

Your implication that giving your info to MS is as bad as giving it to Hitler is ridiculous.

J.Goodwin @ Aug 9th 2006 7:06AM

Well, I guess that explains why EA and Valve get along so well then. They both like collecting your credit card data, personal information, and massive amounts of information about how you play their games.

John Lucas @ Aug 9th 2006 7:18AM

EA = Fascist?

All hail our glorious leader Madden??
John Lucas

John Lucas @ Aug 9th 2006 7:20AM

P.S.: For the story pic they shoulda used the pyramid with the eye.

You know like the one on the American One Dollar bill.
An N W O insignia woulda been a nice touch too.
And no I'm not talking about the wrestling group.

John Lucas

Dave Smith @ Aug 9th 2006 7:53AM

Everything about EA's policy is just so wrong, and so oppressive. Microsoft shares blame too, as they permit it to occur and likely reaps some sort of profit from it. News like this, about how they treat their employees, the ridiculous contracts that stifle competition... EA = Evil = I will not buy any EA games. Vote with your wallet people.

Tim Marman @ Aug 9th 2006 2:26PM

I agree it's a poor privacy policy, but this is actually fairly standard language. If you get beyond the knee-jerk alarmist reaction and actually read the clause, it's not quite as extreme as it sounds.

It does NOT say they are collecting and storing credit cards; rather, it says there are some activities which may require information, including credit card numbers. I'm thinking, for example, an MMORPG that you have to pay a subscription fee to. Or in the case of mobile phone, it might be something tied to Xbox Live Anywhere.

Information collected will vary depending upon the activity and may include your name, e-mail address, phone number, mobile number, home address, birth date and credit card information.

It's also worth mentioning that, from what I understand, most games are actually hosted on the publisher's servers, not by MSFT.

knight37 @ Aug 9th 2006 3:02PM

If you want to blame anyone for this, blame your own government. Under the current (and previous) administraton, the US government is doing everything they can to remove your rights to privacy completely. I will not at all be surprised when they have mandatory electronic chips implanted in your forearm so they can track where all of the citizens are at all times.

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