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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast 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 6 of 27)
crschmidt Jul 7th 2010 9:04AM
styopa: Not at all. But I'm attempting to discourage people from harassing some unknown schmuck just because he shares the name with someone well-known.
I've been saying for the past day that personally, this doesn't affect me, but I understand the concerns, and I don't think it's the right way to go, period. So please don't treat my dislike of attacking random people as support for the decision.
NM Jul 7th 2010 9:08AM
Bashiok is "presumably Unlisted" with what? Every search engine in the world? Please explain for us how that works.
Just because he denied that particular address doesn't mean he doesn't have a real-life affiliation with it (it could be an old residence or a second house, whatever).
That's even besides the point - some of us have names unique enough that we can't pretend "oh that's somebody else".
Forget stalking, pranking can be plenty bad enough all on its own, and for those of us who work in fields that aren't gamer-friendly or have clients or managers who are prejudiced against gamers, the risk to our professional lives gets completely out of hand.
Anuillae Jul 7th 2010 9:17AM
@Jeremy I know that now, and it seems that part of my comment has been deleted :P (They get an edit button!) Cuz I'm European, it was in middle of night and I read that after postin' y'know?
@ crschimdt Yeah, it's not like he's done anything wrong, but by showing Blizz what can happen if they give out our names to everyone on the internet, we can hope to change their minds about this idea of their's
crschmidt Jul 7th 2010 9:36AM
NM: Presumably he is not in the phone book, specifically to prevent shit like this. (His information is searchable on various 'pay us for the address!' sites, but not in the standard white pages that people pulled the other address from.) This doesn't apply to the average person (who doesn't need to be unlisted because they control their personal information), and is not support of the claim that this is okay; this is an explanation of why everyone picked the wrong guy to rag on.
Anuillae: Abusing random people to prove a point is not proving a point; it's just abuse. (If it actually was Bashiok, it *might* be social commentary of some sort, but even that would be pushing it in my opinion.) Giving out real names will result in this kind of stuff, but not in any way that can't happen on the forums right now if people chose to.
Jeremy Jul 7th 2010 9:43AM
Nothing personal Anuillaie. =P After rereading, it was a bit mean sounding. Sowwy.
Anuillae Jul 7th 2010 10:36AM
@ Jeremy: :P No offence taken
@ Crschimdt: Look at it this way; if any major figure in the wow community (say, a major blogger such as Gevlon or Marcko) posted on the forums, then their real names would get out. Then people find their phone numbers/facebook pages. They would get loads of spam, from both trolls and people who want to ask them a question, or who just want to talk to someone whom they regard as 'important'. The Blizz people would get it too. Its best (in my opinion) to give a good, loud shout to them, and make them realise that this idea is a mistake. Because it is.
Anuillae Jul 7th 2010 10:39AM
@ Jeremy: :P No offence taken
@ Crschimdt: Look at it this way; if any major figure in the wow community (say, a major blogger such as Gevlon or Marcko) posted on the forums, then their real names would get out. Then people find their phone numbers/facebook pages. They would get loads of spam, from both trolls and people who want to ask them a question, or who just want to talk to someone whom they regard as 'important'. The Blizz people would get it too. Its best (in my opinion) to give a good, loud shout to them, and make them realise that this idea is a mistake. Because it is.
Lucidique Jul 7th 2010 8:17AM
I truly am worried about getting my full real-life name revealed. It's 1-2 steps too far. I've even contacted the authorities in my country, for them to have a look at it. I simply won't accept this.
Korb Jul 7th 2010 8:18AM
Does this mean the blues names get posted as well? :) I can google with the best of them... They'll find out fast how bad of an idea this is.
Clydtsdk-Rivendare Jul 7th 2010 9:33AM
Actually, they've been listed in WoW's credits for 5+ years. You'd just have to connect the name to the forum username. Which can't be that hard.
Come to think of it, pretty much everyone knows GC's name...
broomstick Jul 7th 2010 8:18AM
It's a terrible idea. No, not everyone has Facebook or MySpace or Twitters - I don't because I choose not to. Between employers who want to use a person's personal life against them to internet stalkers to just wanting to escape into Azeroth from time to time to get away from the real world and the crap I have to deal with there, NO, I DON'T WANT SOCIAL NETWORKING IN MY LIFE!
As an opt-in feature - hey, it's great. But being FORCED into this? TERRIBLE idea!
Dusky Jul 7th 2010 8:19AM
I really cannot understand Blizzard's thinking on this one. I understand they want to open up a deal with Facebook. But this is an MMO, not a social networking website. Even on Facebook, I don't use my real life name. Many of us understand and are concerned about the growing number of people willing to give up their most intimate details on a rather vast and viral internet.
Really, if they go through with it when 99% of the response to it has been not just no but OH HELL NO, they don't really want our input. They were simply hoping our response would be positive.
Ralod Jul 7th 2010 8:19AM
Most people I think, have blown the whole thing out of proportion a bit. They are stating all these possible nightmare scenarios where a guy you gank hunts you down and kills your family, or something to that nature. When the truth of it is, you get more info from a business card, or an office directory, any social media site, or even a simple phone book. The fact of the matter is, that people are upset over this because it *might* out them as gamers. Or it will out that girl you have been playing with for years as a dude. Or it will keep that guy with the 49 troll chars from bumping his own troll threads.
Their are some legit concerns, but by and large this is mass hysteria, and frankly a good deal of trolling in that post on the forums. I would love to see how many of those posts are from the same account, I would guess quite a large number. And lets also remember, a very very small minority of people ever use the wow forums. I believe the last time a blue said something it was less then 5% of the games US population did so. In the end, this effects a very small number of people, and by and large I am going to bet your average wow gamer wont even care.
Marcosius Jul 7th 2010 9:41AM
Well the sad thing is, stuff like you mentioned have already happened. Counter-Strike player stabbed another for losing a match to him years back. Someone tracked a racist smacktalker on Xbox Live and tried to shoot him - luckily the Xbox was the only victim of that. Some people take games way too seriously, not to mention there are all kinds of wholly different kind of nutjobs out there. If you've used the internet for a few years you should be well aware of this.
It's hardly mass hysteria, because there are tons of cautionary tales about giving out your personal info on the internet - yep, even if it is just a name.
Moorit Jul 7th 2010 10:23AM
What's wrong with not wanting to be outed as a gamer?
I teach college and I look like I'm 16. I already have a hard enough time maintaining discipline in the classroom. I don't need people to know I play WoW unless *I* choose to tell them.
Ralod Jul 7th 2010 10:44AM
@Marcosius But here is the deal, that has happened and people didn't have the persons actual name. If someone wants to find you, then can do so and don't need your name to do it. You could also be hit by a bus going to get a cup of coffee today as well. Your name does not endanger you anymore then anything else does. Just using internet explorer gives away more info about you online.
But lets not forget in a world of 6 billion people there are only a very few incidents of this happening. In fact I can count on one hand the ones that have happened in the past 5 years.
@Moorit Then don't post on the forums. But I think people like you perpetrate the stigma gamers have. And that until people grow up and learn to not be ashamed for what they are and what they do, then gamers will never grow out of that stigma. So your a gamer, who cares? I have a feeling being more open about your hobbies would earn you more respect then you would loose.
Anuillae Jul 7th 2010 11:13AM
@Ralod: Oh, I really have to disagree with you on that point. I'm a student, and I have first-hand experience with these things. Among kids, or younger people, gaming will never be accepted as not *sad*. Among many older people, I don't believe it will ever be accepted as not *a ridiculous waste of time*. At least, not for another good 40 years, when all the gamers have grown up and had kids that ave gaming as a part of their life. Right now, gaming is seen by the majority as *uncool* or *ridiculous*. Its not gonna change for a while.
Ralod Jul 7th 2010 11:27AM
@Anuillae Then I guess you try to impress the wrong people. Seriously people who hide who they are to fit in are the real problem. The world would be a better place if not everyone felt they had to conform to fit in to idea of acceptable.
Grimm Jul 7th 2010 12:24PM
@Ralod (ref. the @Anuillae post:)
Ral, I'm 34, I have a great job in the IT field, and I game. As lovely as this sentiment may be, I really don't care to have administrators, potential hiring managers, or other executives getting all fancy with "The Google" and discovering I do something outside of their comfort zone.
I completely agree with the sentiment that 'people shouldn't have to hide who they are to fit in', but the grim reality of our culture is that people are abjectly terrified of things they don't wholly understand. People don't 'get' why I like to log into a game and beat up monsters for fun. That not 'getting' can turn into me not having a job, not having a paycheck, not getting a promotion, or any number of other, professionally unsavory items.
I fit several of those demographics. I'm an atheist, and I work for a Catholic charity - if an atheist online community suddenly required my real name, I'd most definitely not be a member on the small offchance that some prejudiced idiot found my membership and took on my professional career out of some sort of vendetta. Gaming may not be quite the same stigma, but it's enough of one that I"d just prefer not, thankyouverymuch. I'd like to be an executive myself, someday.
Lar Jul 7th 2010 12:19PM
@Ralod. Except you don't only need to impress people who you would want to be friends with. You need to impress the people who you have to work together with, with whom you need to work for. Ideally it is perfect if you get a job in a place where your boss pats you one the back and says "Raid tonight, eh?" but that is not that common. More likely you get odd looks in the interview and said "I am not sure we need people with your... hobbies", and that might be a job you really really need.