Block Steam with windows firewall

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

From Wikipedia:

Steam collects and reports anonymous metrics of its usage, stability, and performance.[23] With the exception of Valve's hardware survey,[24] most collection occurs without notifying the user or offering an opt-out. Some of these metrics are available publicly, such as what games are being played or statistics on player progress in certain games.[25] Valve has also used information from these statistics to justify implementing new features in Steam, such as the addition of a defragmentation option for game caches.[26] Announced on the 15th July, Steam will soon start offering users to allow Steam to collect the details of what programs are installed on their system which are listed within the Windows' Programs and Features control panel.[27]

This is intrusive for me. I don't want my gaming habits, browsing habits, living habits or whatever being datamined for commercial purposes, especially without my knowledge. For you information I even block google-analytics when browsing as a matter of principle.

Your argument is reasonable and I have no problems with it.

I disagree, because often in the past that data has been used for improving games and the overall service in Steam. But I will no doubt deny Steam's request to check my programs list.

EDIT: I would also disagree that it is without your knowledge. It's clearly stated in the terms of use.

 

[mrhell]

I think what your missing about concerns with Steam forced inclusion .... (speaking for myself only here) is what is in the future? When i think of the things that can potentially happen in the future i do tend to consider the worst possible scenario - but beyond that i will usually find a comfortable balance somewhere in between paranoia and complacency, in that balance i do think it is very reasonable to be worried about this Steam forced inclusion.

Exactly. And even if I accepted Steam today(which I do not), they are escalating the amount of data they are taking from us, and if at some point you reach the point where you would no longer be comfortable with it, you are now not allowed to play the game you bought and paid for ever again.

 

[Maniacal]

From Wikipedia:

Steam collects and reports anonymous metrics of its usage, stability, and performance.[23] With the exception of Valve's hardware survey,[24] most collection occurs without notifying the user or offering an opt-out. Some of these metrics are available publicly, such as what games are being played or statistics on player progress in certain games.[25] Valve has also used information from these statistics to justify implementing new features in Steam, such as the addition of a defragmentation option for game caches.[26] Announced on the 15th July, Steam will soon start offering users to allow Steam to collect the details of what programs are installed on their system which are listed within the Windows' Programs and Features control panel.[27]

This is intrusive for me. I don't want my gaming habits, browsing habits, living habits or whatever being datamined for commercial purposes, especially without my knowledge. For you information I even block google-analytics when browsing as a matter of principle.

It does NOT collect your browsing habits or personal information, steam's automatic information collection is about Steam and Steam's files (including the games on it). The steam hardware survey and software survey are COMPLETELY OPTIONAL.

Though questioning things instead of blindly accepting them is a good thing, paranoia is not.

 

[mystikmind2005]

Exactly. And even if I accepted Steam today(which I do not), they are escalating the amount of data they are taking from us, and if at some point you reach the point where you would no longer be comfortable with it, you are now not allowed to play the game you bought and paid for ever again.

Data collection by Steam is not something that concerns me, they can have all the data they want so long as that collection process doesn't get in my way! but i can understand in this day and age (with all these creepy emails and telemarketers somehow finding out our personal information even tho we have never dealt with them before) why data collection is concerning to many people.

What concerns me about this particular Steam inclusion is the power that is being given to Steam. You know the old saying... 'power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely' And that saying doesn't exist for no reason!!

 

[CandleJack]

I'll never understand why people hate Steam so much. DRM and SECROM I can understand and even relate to.

 

[jihe]

It does NOT collect your browsing habits or personal information, steam's automatic information collection is about Steam and Steam's files (including the games on it). The steam hardware survey and software survey are COMPLETELY OPTIONAL.

Though questioning things instead of blindly accepting them is a good thing, paranoia is not.

It was meant to be a general statement about privacy. I did not imply Steam collects browsing habits. However it does collect your personal information as stated in Valve's privacy policy:

"By using Valve's online sites and products, users agree that Valve may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information, as defined below. "

""Personally identifiable information" consists of a user's name, email address, physical address, or other data about the user that enables the recipient to personally identify the user."

Frankly when I pay my $50 at the counter for a game I don think there is any reason for personally identifiable information to be available to a company.

 

[jihe]

I'll never understand why people hate Steam so much. DRM and SECROM I can understand and even relate to.

People hate datamining. A lot of people seem to be ok with their information being siphoned as long as the process remained sufficiently hidden so their gaming is not affected. I find this hard to swallow.

 

[Wardancing]

To make sure a connection isnt being sent through other processes, a further step would be to find all ip addresses owned by said company and adding them to your firewalls blocking.

 

[Zechnophobe]

People hate datamining. A lot of people seem to be ok with their information being siphoned as long as the process remained sufficiently hidden so their gaming is not affected. I find this hard to swallow.

The term 'datamining' is a little misleading. Makes it sound like they are just rummaging through your information, or recording all your keystrokes. They get usage statistics of their program. What games you play through steam, what hardware you use to run it. I mean, in order for a game to process it needs to know a bit about the hardware it is trying to run on, but this is communicated behind the scenes.

There isn't any real harm in any of this, and it can be useful it creating future products. It's like, did you know that web pages know what browser you are using when you visit them, and this information is aggregated so business know which browsers to support when they make products? Are you going to refrain from browsing the internet now?

 

[Raion]

Well, golly geewiz there, yuck, yuck, yuck, Hodad spacealien:

If Developers and Community Managers visit the place (what community - oh Civ, I guess of course) here is a novel idea:

Forget the opening movies, pay Firaxis more with the programmers and just come out with the game. (big period) yuck, yuck, yuck!

Who watches the frackin' movie more than a couple of times and immediately "ESC" out of it, to start up the game just left off?

Here is a really really novel idea: Just the Game!



And we thank you for your support!

 

[Haydos]

Have you guys considered killing yourselves?

Probably a good idea.

Moderator Action: telling other users to kill themselves earns an instant vacation

Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[rastak]

People hate datamining. A lot of people seem to be ok with their information being siphoned as long as the process remained sufficiently hidden so their gaming is not affected. I find this hard to swallow.

Get out the tin foil hat.


Jesus.

Moderator Action: Trolling - warned
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[Raion]

We don't wear no tin foil hats! We wear Helmets because we are "mutts"!

 

[nekom]

Steam ran over my cat, punched me in the groin and stole my wallet. I blocked it too after that.

 

[mrhell]

as stated in Valve's privacy policy:

"By using Valve's online sites and products, users agree that Valve may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiable information, as defined below. "

""Personally identifiable information" consists of a user's name, email address, physical address, or other data about the user that enables the recipient to personally identify the user."

Here in Canada, that's illegal under the Privacy Act. It's illegal to require a customer to provide any personal information whose lack would not render the transaction impossible to complete. In other words, any personal info they do not NEED for a legitimate, specific reason, they do not have the legal right to demand, or to refuse you a product because of your refusal to provide it.

 

[HamTard]

I don't know why anyone else find it acceptable for Steam to pop up ads for other games on your desktop. I bought a game to play, I did not pay for ads. FFS if they want to feed me ads they should pay me, not the other way around.

Settings -> Interface -> uncheck Notify me about additions or changes to my games, new releases, and upcoming releases.

Does nobody look at settings anymore?

As for Steam hardware statistics, it's opt-in. You get asked if you want to participate maybe once a year. It's USEFUL because PC developers are actually using Steam hardware statistics to determine what to make their games require as minimum specs. As the average PC gets better according to Steam hardware statistics, PC developers improve the graphics of their games accordingly so they don't go beyond what most people can run.

 

[ori]

Moderator Action: Civil discussion is great, but please refrain from trolling or flaming.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[ori]

@Raion: apparently you can turn off the intro movie in the .ini file in you my games\civ5 folder.

 

[Chibiabos]

I've been on Steam for a year or so and don't mind the sales and other game info that pop up.

I've bought several other games and learned about a bunch of interesting FREE ones as well.

Honestly, Steam DRM is the most unobtrusive as it gets and keeps piracy down. It's a win-win as far as I can tell.

T

You've never played a Stardock game, then. 100% less intrusive than Steam or any other DRM, because the games they make are DRM-free.

 

[Chibiabos]

It does NOT collect your browsing habits or personal information, steam's automatic information collection is about Steam and Steam's files (including the games on it). The steam hardware survey and software survey are COMPLETELY OPTIONAL.

Though questioning things instead of blindly accepting them is a good thing, paranoia is not.

Do you have any reason other than blind faith to assert Steam does not do this?