Real ID security concerns
by Gregg Reece 
May 28th 2010 at 11:00AM
Yes, you do need your friend's email address to add them as a Real ID friend. However, that is the last time you'll ever see that email address in your game client -- once you hit the "Send Request" button, that's it. There is no way to look up that person's email address from the interface again. The only personal information in the client after that is your friend's name.
Just remember that this system is meant for your real-life friends and family and not for some guy who was a good healer in your ICC PUG last week. If you don't know where to go to knock on the person's door if something happens to your account, then don't share your email address.
Filed under: Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Utakata May 28th 2010 11:05AM
Better yet, I prefer they use a system that didn't use your real name.
Kyle May 28th 2010 11:13AM
Except this system is intended to be for real life friends or really close internet friends. Not randomers you met on a PUG that you thought were cool as the article above said. If you don't trust these people with your real name (or they don't already know it) then you shouldn't be trusting them to be a Real ID friend.
Sicadastra May 28th 2010 11:19AM
Oh hey look, a perfect example of someone who doesn't get the point of the system! A person who either didn't read or comprehend the article!
Gregg Reece May 28th 2010 11:17AM
Exactly what Kyle said. There are multiple places throughout the interface that also re-iterate this idea that if you've never met the person face to face then you shouldn't use the Real ID system with them.
Letting your cousin in Hawaii see your real name when you're online isn't a problem. Letting some random pugger see it is probably something you shouldn't do.
Broxigan May 28th 2010 11:18AM
@Kyle
That may be true, but originally, the entire battlenet system was not advertised that way. It feels like they switched gears and decided to cater to a very small portion of the community than the entire community. I know no one near me IRL who plays. So this entire system is a big waste of time.
Sort of like that in-game voice system...what a waste of time/money/patch space.
Gregg Reece May 28th 2010 11:23AM
@Broxigan
This feature might be useless to you, but that doesn't mean it is useless to everyone. I live in Tennessee and I've got a nephew who plays in Alaska. With the timezone differences we don't play on the same servers, but would love to be able to keep in contact and chat about stuff while online. This system is perfect for that.
Also, I know of several real friends who will disappear from WoW when Diablo III hits and being able to keep in contact cross-games will be handy then to. If I want to run a quick daily heroic then I can just send them a message across the system and viola, there we go.
Just because a feature doesn't help you doesn't mean it isn't helpful to other people.
N-train May 28th 2010 11:26AM
@Broxigan
Just cause this system doesn't apply to you, doesn't mean it doesn't apply to a lot of other people. While not everything Blizzard implements is ideal (in game voice chat), they're putting a fair amount of time and effort into this, so they must think it's worth it on some level.
So it may not be usefull to you, but high-level arena gear isn't usefull to me, but I don't complain that it is a waste of space, because it's useful to someone.
Michelle Madison May 28th 2010 11:29AM
It could be just as useful to you N-Train, and many others, if we were able to use an handle or alias. The fact that it uses the real first/last name on the billing account is not what makes it useful.
Mailia May 28th 2010 11:37AM
Yeah, but why not have the option to disable it? That would allow you to use this real-life friends and Internet friends, instead of limiting it?
Faith Trust May 28th 2010 12:07PM
Well, the fact that you dont use it or know ppl IRL that plays doesnt mean the rest of us dont.
Personally my girlfriend and many of my IRL best friends play WoW and are into SC2.
So, its nice to be able to talk to them or know they are online even if we play on different servers or different Blizzard games, there is always the feature to add a friend (not Real ID friend) if you want to add that nice pug you met.
But this feature is for us social people, if you've read the interviews of the 5 year aniversary many of them say how they've realized a lot of people use WoW for social interaction and not just for leisure, how couples have formed and married, etc.
This feature is for us, and its really appreciated.
N-train May 28th 2010 12:29PM
I think people are blowing this a little out of proportion. I understand everyone's concern for their privacy, but this is absolutely no different than Facebook, where I can see someone's real name, but they can restrict me from seeing anything else. This is also just like Facebook in that if you don't want that information to be out there, don't use it.
You guys are coming at this as if Blizzard designed the system to screw you over. If you're not comfortable with your real name being visible to a stranger (like you do whenever you show someone an ID or use a credit card), then don't use the system.
I, personally, am not concerned that the roommate of my old high school friend can see my real name. That doesn't mean he has my email address or knows where I live.
I feel like giving you the option of an alias just turns this into another version of your friend's list, and I think the goal of this system was to make something that was a whole step above your normal friend's list. And I agree, it would be nice to communicate with internet friends across games, but that's not what this system is for. Maybe they'll add that feature down the line, maybe not.
Utakata May 28th 2010 1:36PM
...yes, I comprehended the article and system quite clearly, Sicadastra. But it's very apparent you and others didn't agree with my views. /shrug
Kyle and Greg Reece, thanks for sharing that. And good points for both of you. But since I only know one person who plays WoW in RL, I naturally won't be using it...since we have other efficient ways of communicating. I still many concerns with this though...but as Sicadastra has so "eloquently" proven, this may not be the best place to share them.
GrumblyStuff May 28th 2010 2:02PM
@N-train
Some of us don't like Facebook either. I'd say the recentish South Park episode was a slight exaggeration of it. For example, I was lured to FB a couple years ago by family and friends. My coworker was on it and found me. I didn't hate the guy but didn't have a whole lot in common. Under the FB system, I had to be his "friend" or tell him, "No, you're not my friend."
That's what I'm against. My definition of friends run a gamut and I don't want to be in the position of telling any of them they're my super best friend or that they're just nice person I can chat with about specs.
Fizzl May 28th 2010 2:35PM
Ok to all you people saying it's fine just don't friend people you don't know:
Alice knows bob and they exchange Real ID's.
Bob is a bit thick (or drunk who knows) and accepts a Real ID friend from Mallory the gold seller.
Because of the friend of a friend business now Mallory has Alice's Real ID too.
____
And even if you think that never happens (it will) why shouldn't I be able to use the cross game chat without giving my details out to talk to my guild mates since I'm in a multi game guild? It's a great feature that is absolutely spoilt by not having a user ID instead of a real name.
___
And number three... what if I don't what people to know about my new alt warrior? Suddenly every character I make my friends know about, sometimes it's nice to hide from everyone! It needs an off button.
Bronwyn May 28th 2010 3:02PM
I'm not crazy about having my real name on there, but why not let Blizz know that rather than writing off the whole thing? I am willing to be that if enough people mention it, they'll change it so that you can choose a handle rather than your name.
I'm really happy with the system though, because I have a pretty big network of people I know IRL who also play, and I'd like to be able to chat with them cross-server, or even cross-game. I think there are a *lot* of people who feel the same way, so I like the idea. So, seriously, you don't like that it uses real name? Bug Blizz about it.
PeeWee May 28th 2010 4:59PM
@Fizzl
In the screenshot there is a dropdown with a green dot in it. Is this somehow connected to what you're looking for? As with MSN, perhaps there is a way to "appear as offline"? Also, I may have missed it, but there has to be a way to "disconnect" a friendship if things take a bad turn?
Endless May 28th 2010 5:07PM
@Gregg Reece, "This feature might be useless to you, but that doesn't mean it is useless to everyone."
You absolutely don't get what he's talking about, do you? Yes, it IS useful for some, nobody argues with that. However, it could've been useful for EVERYBODY, if it weren't for one rather debatable design decision.
History of WoW is a history of needless limitations and artifical obstacles. You can't go there. You can't do this. You can't talk with that player. You can't set up this or change that. You are not eligible for these promotion items. You can't get that holiday quest. You can't decide how to use this service. Instead of making it viable for everybody, they're content enough with saying "it is not meant for you."
Well yea, I guess it's not meant for me. But in that case I don't understand why I have to pay it with my goddamn monthly fee. If it's just for somebody, make it a paid service.
Avan May 28th 2010 6:43PM
I agree to an extent, where using the real name is a bad idea. It's fine for seeing your actual friends by name, but the fact that you will show up on their list by name, which their friends (but not your friends) can see, is just asking for trouble.
Example, a hacker gains control of your account. They go through your Real ID friends, their Real ID friends, and now has a list of actual names they can use. Plug those into Facebook, or even Google, and you'll have a physical address and a bunch of other information that can be used to compromise more accounts or steal actual identities.
It's a disaster waiting to happen, and we won't get better privacy controls UNTIL that happens.
Oh, and if anyone thinks I'm just fear mongering? Do a Google search for your real name, and your friend's names.
Avan May 28th 2010 7:02PM
@PeeWee:
There is NOT an "Appear Offline" option. It was explicitly stated in a Blue post that they won't be adding one, either. Straight from the Real ID FAQ: http://us.battle.net/realid/faq.html
Can my Real ID friends see all of my World of Warcraft characters?
Real ID friends will be able to see all of each other’s characters across games; there will not be an option to hide specific characters from Real ID friends or to appear offline to them when you’re logged in. If you wish to communicate with someone through only a character, you can opt to use the traditional “in-game friend” system and add that player as a World of Warcraft friend.
Boocat May 28th 2010 8:28PM
@Endless
Your monthy cost goes to the game as a whole and not to just one feature of it. If the monthly price when up because of it then I would see your point.