Yeah, basically I'm just getting at the point that name is a very poor identifier of identity, for various reasons.
Blizzard RealID and Steam: Why we cant "trust"
- Thread starter evrett37
- Start date
Yeah, basically I'm just getting at the point that name is a very poor identifier of identity, for various reasons.
Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
Poor or not, it can still be used quite extensively.
deanej
Deity
Banks/CreditCard companies don't verify your identity when you sign up in Canada?
Nor in the US. One guy once got a credit card with the name of Michael Jackson as part on an elaborate prank on the media.
Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
Blizzard is backing down:
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=13816839821&sid=1
http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=13816839821&sid=1
I'm curious how they verify someone's real name?
How does this work for people who use a name that isn't their legal name - this could cover everything from people preferring another name (not uncommon), to transgendered people. Although if you can just enter fake info, it's less of a worry (Facebook seems to be like that these days - although I believe that it is or was against their TOS, and they have banned people for not using their real name, so there's always that risk).
* Facebook has security controls on what people can see, and not everyone on there posts absolute everything. Facebook also receives plenty of criticism when it has privacy problems. I also dispute "true, not fake as we used to do" - indeed, in the earlier days of the Internet, using real names and talking about everything on Usenet etc (which has no security controls, unlike Facebook) seemed to be far more common than now.
* I'm not sure why getting to know someone online means that they can't know the person. Even if you think that, there's no reason why others have to. I don't think that sharing a half naked picture with someone you've got to know online implies a lack of privacy. How is it different to picking someone up in a bar and having sex (putting yourself at far greater risk than online)? Or indeed, people who strip or pose nude in public?
* If by "make friends" you mean friending someone, then this is just a misleading term for technical aspects. I don't see how linking to someone means I'm giving up my privacy - just because the website calls it "friending" doesn't mean anyone thinks of it meaning that.
Old generations aren't better - the tired old "Nothing to hide" etc.
Just because I post something on the Internet, doesn't mean I want to give away my full name to everyone. And judging by how few people use their real name here, I imagine lots of people share that viewpoint. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, I'd worry less about this site than some other sites requiring this. But there are some worries, such as stalking, or potential employers googling you and having something against gamers. Plus, aside from the public issue, it ought to be none of Blizzard's business, either.
And what's the reason in favour - that it would stop trolling? Hardly. If you want to make comparisons to Facebook, then you should know that trolling and asshattery exists just as much on Facebook, despite people usually using their real name.
How does this work for people who use a name that isn't their legal name - this could cover everything from people preferring another name (not uncommon), to transgendered people. Although if you can just enter fake info, it's less of a worry (Facebook seems to be like that these days - although I believe that it is or was against their TOS, and they have banned people for not using their real name, so there's always that risk).
Whilst I share concerns on people's attitude towards privacy, I don't think these criticisms are fair.
* Facebook has security controls on what people can see, and not everyone on there posts absolute everything. Facebook also receives plenty of criticism when it has privacy problems. I also dispute "true, not fake as we used to do" - indeed, in the earlier days of the Internet, using real names and talking about everything on Usenet etc (which has no security controls, unlike Facebook) seemed to be far more common than now.
* I'm not sure why getting to know someone online means that they can't know the person. Even if you think that, there's no reason why others have to. I don't think that sharing a half naked picture with someone you've got to know online implies a lack of privacy. How is it different to picking someone up in a bar and having sex (putting yourself at far greater risk than online)? Or indeed, people who strip or pose nude in public?
* If by "make friends" you mean friending someone, then this is just a misleading term for technical aspects. I don't see how linking to someone means I'm giving up my privacy - just because the website calls it "friending" doesn't mean anyone thinks of it meaning that.
Old generations aren't better - the tired old "Nothing to hide" etc.
Do you walk around with a name tag in the real world? Can everything you say be preserved and easily searchable forever?
Just because I post something on the Internet, doesn't mean I want to give away my full name to everyone. And judging by how few people use their real name here, I imagine lots of people share that viewpoint. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, I'd worry less about this site than some other sites requiring this. But there are some worries, such as stalking, or potential employers googling you and having something against gamers. Plus, aside from the public issue, it ought to be none of Blizzard's business, either.
And what's the reason in favour - that it would stop trolling? Hardly. If you want to make comparisons to Facebook, then you should know that trolling and asshattery exists just as much on Facebook, despite people usually using their real name.
And I bet you're making a straw man.
madviking
north american scum
onedreamer
Dragon
I think that you are the one being naive if you really believe this
I didn't write anything of what you assumed, and I met my wife online. Thank you and come again (maybe by actually reading what you quote).
That's never been a primary reason for privacy concerns - maybe if you posted at certain racial-supremacy places and the like that aren't even allowed to be mentioned here you'd have a slight risk, but it isn't the violence that's a concern.
But for the average person, as others have said, the main concern is the large amount of damage that can be done to jobs/careers and other aspects of one's life by information collected or made public on somebody. Being denied, or fired from, a job because of something you posted online is far more likely and also something most people would rather avoid. Even going to something as innocuous as the New York Times under your real name and expressings things which could be traced back to you could result in trouble if such practices became more and more commonplace. Many companies would find a way they can justify to fire you - racism or bigotry to start, but places with crazy policies over unions, political action and so on are another way it goes.
Well yeah, this bears repeating, most complaints about Steam are just from complete noobs with some theory on how it will affect gaming or angry people upset about the civlization series' new move or something they themselves did in the past.
deanej
Deity
I think that you are the one being naive if you really believe this
I'm not being naive, I'm just listening to Leo Laporte. He said in a podcast that he told his kids to be careful of what they post on facebook because a future employer could see it, etc., and they said "what do you mean? It's private.".
Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
I think that you are the one being naive if you really believe this
.
deanej is right, with one correction. Its not only young people, its in fact the majority of the people that use the internet that are naive of the real world risks they take when they reveal personal information.
There's a good rule of thumb that I use: once its on the internet, it will always be on the internet. It doesnt matter if its private, hidden, whatever. Once you put it somewhere that anyone with a computer and an internet connection can potentially access it, you lose control of the dessimination of that information.
onedreamer
Dragon
As a matter of fact I know enough people that use Facebook to know what I'm saying. There's a difference between saying "Privacy? What is it?" and "I thought this would stay private". The new generation doesn't care about privacy, they do NOT have my generation's concept of privacy. Of course I am talking in general, as for everything there are exceptions, moderations, extremizations, etc.
Genocidicbunny
Bug squasher
Facebook isnt the entirety of the internet. Yes, its the one that's the most in public view because of the recent frackup with privacy settings they had, but the internet is much more vast than that. In general, people of any generation, of any age don't realize how much they're revealing.
deanej
Deity
"They don't have my generation's view of privacy" means "They don't care about privacy"? Wow, you really love ageism, don't you?
onedreamer
Dragon
no, it means what it is written, without the change of words you made. It isn't a matter of age but of social evolution.
If I was more cynical, I'd think Blizzard/Activision proposed a ridiculous crowd-scaring measure, only to knowingly back down on it and introduce something less scary but still invasive, just so that everyone can applaud them for "thinking of their fan-base".
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