Breakfast Topic: Real ID or Real bad IDea?
by Zach Yonzon 
Jul 7th 2010 at 8:00AM
Sure enough, when Patch 3.3.5 was implemented, I had a lot of fun hooking up with my real friends on other servers, and it was truly awesome to be able to chat with them even if we weren't on the same faction or even realm. Of course, after a while, it became clear that there was just no way to turn it off -- I always knew what my real friends were up to, from running dungeons to putting up auctions on an alt or griefing lowbies on a character previously unknown to me. This also meant it was impossible for me to jump onto a low-level alt on some low-population server for some mucking around without their knowing. Not that my friends were ever going to intrude or anything, but there just wasn't any real personal time with my Real ID status always being broadcast.
Yesterday, it got even stranger. Blizzard suddenly announced that the new forums would display everyone's real first and last names if they chose to post on them. For some reason, Mark Zuckerberg's idea of opt-in privacy is becoming the norm. The Facebook founder has said that when people share more, the world becomes more open and connected. It's a maverick notion, and people always have the option to keep mum on things, after all. In many ways, it works for social media. And there's the rub.
It has become apparent to me that Blizzard's big plan for Real ID is for it to become some form of social media, and Real ID statuses work in the same way as tweets or Facebook status messages. Blizzard defends its stance on yesterday's announcement by stating that removing anonymity from the forums will eliminate trolling. That argument definitely has merit, and Blizzard stresses that it's always the player's option to post, hearkening to Zuckerberg's argument that it's the user's option to "share," anyway. You don't have to if you don't want to.
It's definitely a bold direction on Blizzard's part, and it will shape their gaming environment for years to come. Whether it's a step in the right direction or not, only time will tell. What do you think? Real names aren't such a big deal, right? I mean, don't most folks have Facebook or (once upon a time) MySpace? This is just kind of like that, right? Or is it? Why don't we get an official tally and settle this like civilized people ...
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 27)
Alex Jul 7th 2010 8:03AM
Actually, it's just illegal.
http://www.wow-europe.com/realmstatus/index.html?locale=en_gb
Alex Jul 7th 2010 8:04AM
Wrong link, I apologise.
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=13816898877&sid=1
Kevin Jul 7th 2010 8:13AM
It's illegal in the country that poster resides in, yes.
But in many countries (example, the US. I live there), it's legal. Also, they have said the real name display will be opt-in. As in, you can turn it off.
CaryEverett Jul 7th 2010 8:13AM
My immediate thoughts upon reading that is that she is quoting Dutch laws, and Blizzard is an American company, and thus not subject to Dutch laws. However, there could be equivalent laws in America.
Such an oversight is rather sad coming from a person who claims to be a "Dutch Law Student." You'd think she'd be aware that laws in the Netherlands do not apply to other countries.
Knob Jul 7th 2010 8:19AM
Illegal or not, I subscribed 4 years ago to a game, not to a bloody social networking service.
Xanaron Jul 7th 2010 8:20AM
thepiratebay hosts the search function for Torrents, and since the copyrights they are breaking are not bound to law in their country, they can legally do so.
Dutch law helps the dutch, not north americans.
Jennifer Jul 7th 2010 8:21AM
To Kevin:
My understanding is that the system will be "opt in" because you can choose not to post on the forums. IF you post on the forums, your full name will be displayed. No ifs, ands or buts.
crschmidt Jul 7th 2010 8:22AM
Responding to the OP: The linked legal laws regard "Collection of personal information". In general, full name is not, in and of itself, considered personal information. This is definitely true in the US, and is also true in any other country where I've researched it. (This is more than one, because I had to deal with similar claims when I was answering abuse requests for a popular website.) I doubt this applies.
Kevin: When WoW operates in Dutch territory/with Dutch citizens, they have to respect Dutch laws. This is why there are forum competitions that can't take place in many countries (Also RAF): Because they can't meet the requirements of the laws in those places. I'm not going to claim to be a lawyer here who understands the full extent of the law, but I expect that if it was actually illegal to do this, they would no longer be able to operate the forums for Dutch users. (Or Dutch users would need to get their own forums.)
Also, they've said that real name display is optional: that is, you can not post in the forums, and your name won't be displayed. Regarding using parental controls, they mentioned that it will be possible to prevent minors from posting entirely, but not turn off names.
Amradorn Jul 7th 2010 8:24AM
Kevin, the only "opt-in" choice is whether you post or not in the forums. If you choose to post your real name will be shown no mater what. There is no way to turn it off.
Alex Jul 7th 2010 8:28AM
I'm not american and it's also illegal in my country. And everyone's concern is for himself. And I can't see blizzard even considering the situations in which this it will break the law.
Ethena Jul 7th 2010 8:34AM
@CaryEverett
"My immediate thoughts upon reading that is that she is quoting Dutch laws, and Blizzard is an American company, and thus not subject to Dutch laws. However, there could be equivalent laws in America."
First off - let's confirm the MMORPG stigma - the char is a she, I'm a he :)
You are overlooking the fact that this has nothing to do whatsoever with American laws. Privacy Policies are always - always - bound to the local laws. The same reason applies as to why Blizzard Europe has contests in which not everyone is eligible to participate, due to local legal restrictions. Furthermore, the privacy policy itself - as I linked and quoted - states that they respect all applicable laws
"This Privacy Policy respects all applicable laws on data protection."
in this case Dutch Law.
I have nothing to do with American Law, being Dutch, resident in the Netherlands where Blizzard (a US based company) provides services.
As an analogy: It would be kinda weird if you had to pay Dutch or English tax-tariffs on petrol when you tank at a shell gasstation simply because it is a Netherlands and UK based company.
"Such an oversight is rather sad coming from a person who claims to be a "Dutch Law Student."
I am not a Dutch Law Student, not claim to be one, anywhere in my posts. As a matter of fact, I am far from one. I 've been working as a freelance ICT-specialist for several years now. Yes, I conferred with a lawyer about the issue at hand, a collegue of my girlfriend. He pointed several issues to me, which I relayd in my post.
Sincerely,
Ethena.
Thorall Jul 7th 2010 8:35AM
In the UK it's illegal and I and many have contacted the UK data protection commison and their are investigating this.
Ethena Jul 7th 2010 8:38AM
@crschmid
It is not only the law regarding collecting but also storing and using personal data. Any data provided by me for the sole purpose of making a binding agreement (read: create an account) is considered personal and private. Blizzard may collect and use this data for their own purposes, currently amongst other things for instance internal evaluation for demographics. I consented to that and have absolutely no issue with that.
Sharing private data without my consent is something I do have an issue with.
Mitch Jul 7th 2010 8:45AM
Hitler doesn't like the idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiauaGbxipA
Dire Jul 7th 2010 8:53AM
Your first and last name are definitely considered personal data, at least in Germany...have been dealing with privacy policies as of lately, so I am absolutely sure about this. Also the fact that Blizzard is an American company does not matter at all imho, because, as stated above, they agree to abide all applicable law (why do you think every exporting company has to deal with so many different laws?) and their headquarters for EUROPE are actually based in Paris (afaik), where EU law is automatically applied to all inhabitants, visitors and, of course, companies. Even when ordering things from America or any other continent/country the buyer's laws apply in the necessary respects. Otherwise everybody would be importing drugs as they please, because hey it's legal where we produce it...0o...
037 Jul 7th 2010 9:10AM
I was temp banned from the official forums for pointing out that in China it will soon be mandatory to link your real name to forum posts.
http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2010/6/5/4545674.html
Apparently, this post was trolling and is a great example of why everyone in the world would need to know (forever) who I am and what I was doing at 2:21 pm on July 6, 2010
jrb Jul 7th 2010 9:13AM
the entire phrase 'opt-in', i think, is being misunderstood here. you opt in to blizzard's use of your personal data when you sign up for a battle.net account, and when you play their games. (_three_ EULAs to accept every patch day!?!?)
that right grants the entity blizzard, or activision blizzard to process your data in the same geographical region. There is no problem from a legal standpoint in Europe as long as personal information isn't being transmitted outside of the region (e.g. from Europe to Americas), or isn't being passed on to third parties without your specific and explicit consent.
it sucks, but legally there's little you can do here. However, I think blizzard should act on more good faith with it's [so far] loyal customer base. Best case here is that people simply stop using the forums.. we lose the one valid way we have of providing feedback on the game we all love. Worse case is people simply cancel their subscriptions, insist on proof of removal of personal details, and move on to a game publisher who isn't going to skirt along boundaries of the law.
Alex Jul 7th 2010 9:28AM
Although i am quite sure that they will bypass legal issues with something sounding like:
"Also, by posting in the forums of Worldofwarcraft.com you allow blizzard to post the information you are delivering under your legal name as provided by you in your account details"
hidden somewhere between the lines in the EULA.
I forsee that the only option to avoid allowing blizz to display your real name would be to give up on buying cataclysm.
snowleopard233 Jul 7th 2010 9:33AM
I don’t understand why the forums are considered an “optional” segment of what I’m paying for every month. I love the forums and frequent them everyday. To me, they’re one of the core features of my monthly experience. I imagine most of the people who frequent the forums feel this same way. This change hardly affects the core game, but it does essentially hinder and in many cases remove an experience people have come to know and love.
Deb Jul 7th 2010 9:44AM
I have gone through this on other websites regarding copyright laws from various countries. Unfortunately, the laws of the country where the company's servers reside are what would apply to Blizzard. That, is to the best of my knowledge, the US. With that being said I wouldn't let this deter anyone from approaching their legal entities to gather information on the protections of personal privacy. The more information players gather the better the resolution we may achieve.