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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsRumor: Blizzard employees' real life names will not appear on the Real ID forums [Updated]
by Adam Holisky 
Jul 7th 2010 at 4:00PM
So here's what we know:
- Bashiok / Drysc posted his real life name yesterday and had his privacy violated by people posting maps to his house, his parents' names and (potentially incorrect) cell phone numbers.
- We have seen multiple reports of WoW players who have called up Blizzard's support line and spoken with representatives who've told them blues will no longer be using their real names in the new forums.
- Josh, a Blizzard phone rep, said that Blizzard employees "cannot risk having their personal lives compromised by in-game issues."
- Blizzard blue representative Rygarius locked, but did not delete nor deny, a thread on this.
- WoW.com has emailed PR contacts within Blizzard for comment, and has not heard anything back.
Update: Wryxian is referring people back to the original blue post language about the change. However, we're still hearing from phone bank representatives that Blizzard has changed its mind about blue posters.
Update #2: According to Nethaera, they're going to stick with their original plan and have blue posters use their real names. As to why other parts of Blizzard are saying something different (WoW.com has verified what other parts of Blizzard has said), it appears they're having some internal communication issues.
Filed under: Rumors
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 27)
Antiquity Jul 7th 2010 4:05PM
"cannot risk having their personal lives compromised by in-game issues."
But it's cool for everyone else's lives to possibly be compromised.
It should be an option, but you shouldn't need to use your real name on the Blizzard forums. There are some crazy people out there. Giving them any relevant information to help people find you is a bad idea.
Angry Cooper Jul 7th 2010 4:11PM
The crazy people are actually the powers that be trying to condition the masses to accept these sorts of measures.
They are trying to lock down the internet and stomp out internet anonymity because they find it threatening. If you even care one little bit you'll trust me and fight against Real ID and other similar measures with everything you have.
Tom Jul 7th 2010 5:04PM
"They" feel threatened? Really?
You've better brought enough tin-foil hats for the whole class!
Bynde Jul 7th 2010 4:05PM
Well, there you have it.
Don't want your real name used in forums....get hired by Blizzard.
Dharmabhum Jul 7th 2010 4:13PM
Or don't post in the official Cataclysm forums at all. I know its not ideal, but it is an option.
Having said that, if this is true, its a horrible double standard that Blizzard's imposed and I don't believe they could ever go through with it in this form or have it hold up in a legal challenge.
Personally, I'm just not going to post anymore on said forums. I love that Blizzard is trying to clean up the massive amounts of inane babble, flame, QQ, etc on official forums, but this is a horrible solution for all parties involved.
Trees Jul 7th 2010 4:38PM
@Dharmabhum
Except this is only "Phase 2". The ultimate goal is clearly to integrate it completely in-game with no opt out.
These people are tonedeaf. I canceled my subscription last night.
Carrie Jul 7th 2010 4:05PM
I'd really like to know who the hell thought any of this was a good idea.
Docp Jul 7th 2010 4:30PM
Bobby Kotick
Glaras Jul 7th 2010 4:06PM
Bashiok didn't have his privacy violated any more or less than Blizzard is requiring that any forum poster submit to in their new forums. Hopefully, they'll learn from Bashiok's unfortunate experience, and rethink the entire thing.
On a personal level, I offer Bashiok my deepest sympathies for what he had to go through, and I hope he can rebuild the privacy barrier around his life, a barrier he has a right to, and deserves.
Wild Colors Jul 7th 2010 4:09PM
This.
Everyone has a right to this privacy barrier. However, Blizzard now has proof that this privacy barrier and the use of real id on the forums cannot co-exist.
You don't have a right to play WoW, so Blizzard can insist on your giving up this privacy barrier in order to participate in the forums. I feel this move would rank somewhere between "dumb" and "evil." I'd probably call it foolish and reckless. Bashiok's experience is proof of the possible harms.
Liam O'Connor Jul 7th 2010 4:17PM
The difference is that Bashiok had the disadvantage of people knowing that he works for Blizzard. Even then, people still got the wrong guy.
This is ridiculous anyway. Earlier today someone tried to claim how they valued their privacy, and thanks to their username I was able to find out their name, birthday, location, their interests, the names of their family, the fact that they were in an unhappy marriage, and basically their fucking life story. All that without their first and last name.
In fact, I'd say it's actually harder to try and narrow it down when someone just uses their real name.
This is such a non-event, and I'm actually slightly mortified at the levels of melodramatic outcry. If you were THAT concerned about your safety and privacy, you wouldn't be on the Internet or even engage in any activities.
Hoggersbud Jul 7th 2010 4:48PM
>You don't have a right to play WoW, so Blizzard can insist on your giving up this privacy barrier in order to participate in the forums.
And Blizzard doesn't have a right to my money. I can insist that they don't make me give up my right before I give them my money. What's people's point with this?
Glaras Jul 7th 2010 4:53PM
@Liam: Not true! I would be on the Internet and engaging in activities while protecting my personal information, and maintaining as much of the privacy barrier as possible. This *is* an event, and your opinion of the matter is in an extreme minority. And while that isn't an indicator of whether you're "right" or "wrong", in this case, it's evidence that you're not taking the concerns seriously, probably owing to the fact that you personally feel no threat. That's called "unconscious privilege", and it explains why it's so easy for some people to be dismissive of, say, the concerns of women for their privacy and safety over this.
Bottom line: if Blizzard feels that its employees require the barrier in order not to have their lives disrupted, then their users deserve the same protections.
Liam O'Connor Jul 7th 2010 4:59PM
@Glaras: there are countless examples of my name being out there that were out of my control. Things I did were reported in the newspaper or someone has uploaded an old school photo of mine to one of those "Find your old classmates!" places. You can't control privacy.
I've mentioned things about my past girlfriends to other people, and I'm sure they've mentioned stuff about me. Privacy is really a myth.
As I said, this one girl claimed that she was soooo paranoid about her security, but I managed to find out more about her in 30 minutes than I know about my friends, and all I had was her username and Google.
Lots of people have been posting their personal information, including telephone numbers and addresses and nothing has happened. Why? Because there is no point. You're not going to drive across state or even travel countries just because someone said that the people who play rogues are pussies. Although that was a funny scene in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.
Galestrom Jul 7th 2010 4:59PM
It seems that people generally think they're more anonymous online than they actually are. I too was amazed at the outcry over this, since your name is inherently NOT private.
That said, I also understand the concern; the mere fact that you play may in of itself be a detail you might not want out there, not to mention the questionable mental state of some of the folks you play with, who (while fun) may not be 'worthy' of having that information for one reason or another.
When I hear about employers expressly avoiding WoW players, that makes me wonder if having my name associated with my toon might be a bad idea... (/sigh)
It's worth mentioning though that they wouldn't even have to consider these extremes if people simply behaved themselves online. So, thanks a lot to all you trolls out there. We'll see who gets the last laugh as you attempt to pronounce my last name. =P
moxiegraphix Jul 7th 2010 4:06PM
If this is more than rumor, then why can they not see that the same reasons they would not want their real names posted are the EXACT SAME reasons their players might not? There are other ways they can accomplish the same things.
Bobbo Jul 7th 2010 4:07PM
This is completely fair honestly. No one who has ever worked in a customer service center has or should be required to reveal personal information to the masses as part of their job. It's why you receive messages back from "John" or "Susan" instead of "John James of Nashville" or "Susan Hoffman of Orlando" when you email customer service somewhere. The employees are not participating on the forums voluntarily, unlike the players.
Hob Jul 7th 2010 4:11PM
That's actually what I was going to post: players can decide to post or not; employees are pretty much stuck with doing their job or quitting.
Dharmabhum Jul 7th 2010 4:15PM
Yea, that is a good point. I mentioned something about double standards and this whole system holding up against a potential legal challenge, but that is exactly the relevant logic right there.
Glaras Jul 7th 2010 4:19PM
It should be stressed, however, that participation in the forums is only truly optional if you never need *timely* customer service or technical support. If you do, the forums are the only method of getting that level of support.