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EA's Origin might contain Spyware [Update: New EULA]

S

Salsa

Member
http://www.droidgamers.com/index.ph...gin-contains-spyware-angers-half-the-internet

You may remember us reporting on EA's Origin service over the last couple of month. This service is to be direct competition to Steam but above and beyond that, it was supposed to also bring more social features to their games on iOS and Android, and eventually sell their games on there for mobile as well.

So a forum user over at the Escapist Magazine Forums went through the EULA for EA's Origin and found some pretty interesting information. According to the EULA, EA says that by downloading Origin onto your PC that you are giving them the right to monitor your PC, make a profile of you which includes what programs you have installed, what websites you use and all that other good stuff the Spyware generally does. You have to agree to this EULA in order to use Origin. If you don't, you can't use it. It doesn't mean that Origin will actually do all of that.

Now you may be wondering, "what does this have to do with me?". Well that's simple. EA's Origin, as I mentioned earlier, is supposed to include mobile games and social community features that will be integrated into existing and future games. The plan is to make Origin the "Steam" of mobile gaming as well as competing against Steam on a PC level.

Now we are not saying to run out and boycott EA and everything about EA. What we are doing is bringing awareness to this issue to you. See EA's plans for all the mobile goodness for Origin are supposed to happen in the near future. With how Android works, it wouldn't be hard to add a similar function into a mobile app for Origin either. Let it be known now though that, as of the time of writing this, none of EA's games currently on the Android Market have anything to do with Origin yet.

We will be following this as it develops and keep everyone up-to-date.
Click to expand...


bwahahahhaahhahah
 
M

mik83kuu

Banned
I'm so glad I have zero reason to use it anyway. I only support Steam or the developers directly (Blizzard etc.),
 
P

-PXG-

Member
joker_eatin_popcorn_by_capnectoplasm-d39sa07_1.gif
 
M

mik83kuu

Banned
alstein said:
Doesn't Steam do this also to generate data such as how many cores people who play their games have?
Click to expand...

It says "includes what programs you have installed, what websites you use". Unless it's necessary information to determine my CPU, I'd say it smells fishy.
 
B

BobsRevenge

I do not avoid women, GAF, but I do deny them my essence.
alstein said:
Doesn't Steam do this also to generate data such as how many cores people who play their games have?
Click to expand...
You have to allow them to, and even then that isn't even close to what's going on here if they actually go through with all of that.
 
S

Salsa

Member
alstein said:
Doesn't Steam do this also to generate data such as how many cores people who play their games have?
Click to expand...

I remember that for the time people called Steam sypware they ended up finding out that the registry entry or whatever it is its there regarding Steam does nothing suspicious, so i believe that was just a rumor. There was also a survey involved and you had to gave them permission if you wanted them to monitor that.
 
S

Salaadin

Member
alstein said:
Doesn't Steam do this also to generate data such as how many cores people who play their games have?
Click to expand...

Doesnt steam get this info from those optional survey pop ups we get a few times a year?
 
Ooccoo

Ooccoo

Member
I heard there are Origin codes in the retail copy of Deus Ex Human Revolution, might go buy one at Gamestop.
 
D

dimb

Bjergsen is the greatest midlane in the world
narcosis219 said:
Isn't this in like every other EULA
Click to expand...
No, it is unusual for a program like this to monitor information outside of the actual application.
 
C

chaosblade

Unconfirmed Member
Valve does this too with Steam. Don't know if it's opt-in or not, but as part of the hardware survey it will see what you have installed.

Edit: Beaten. And it is opt-in? That's better at least.
 
H

hiverbon

Neo Member
chaosblade said:
Valve does this too with Steam. Don't know if it's opt-in or not, but as part of the hardware survey it will see what you have installed.
Click to expand...

It asks you whether you want to participate.
 
S

Sophia

Member
chaosblade said:
Valve does this too with Steam. Don't know if it's opt-in or not, but as part of the hardware survey it will see what you have installed.
Click to expand...

Valve's is opt-in. This is in the EULA you have to agree to use the program. =p
 
C

crimsonheadGCN

Banned
chaosblade said:
Valve does this too with Steam. Don't know if it's opt-in or not, but as part of the hardware survey it will see what you have installed.

Edit: Beaten. And it is opt-in? That's better at least.
Click to expand...

It's opt-in and only a small percentage of people are actually asked. Like 10% of the total active users.
 
Z

zephervack

Member
Salaadin said:
Doesnt steam get this info from those optional survey pop ups we get a few times a year?
Click to expand...

Pretty much, you can opt out by just ignoring them.

And i really cant believe people saying that every EULA says the same, not true, this actually allows them to check your entire hard drive including applications, browser history, messaging logs, registry, everything.
 
Stahsky

Stahsky

A passionate embrace, a beautiful memory lingers.
So now they can finally confirm that I look at porn and hate Dragon Age 2.
 
S

Salsa

Member
Graphics Horse said:
It's opt in but it's a lot more than hardware specs.
http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey
Click to expand...

having numbers like that and whatever surely serve them for a purpose, an opt in survey is the way to do it. I see no issue with it, Valve has a history of trust and good service with its clients so im sure a few people took the survey, the fact that they decided to do so, and that its not required to HAVE Steam is what makes it ok.

This is completely different.
 
A

angelfly

Member
Steam ToS said:
7. USER GENERATED INFORMATION

"User Generated Information" means any information made available to other users through your use of multi-user features of Steam or to Valve through your use of the Software. User Generated Information may include, but is not limited to, chat, forum posts, screen names, game selections, player performances, usage data, suggestions about Valve products or services, and error notifications. Subject to the Valve privacy policy referenced in Section 1 above, as applicable, you expressly grant Valve the complete and irrevocable right to use, reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, distribute, transmit, broadcast, and otherwise communicate, and publicly display and perform the User Generated Information and derivative works thereof in any form, anywhere, with or without attribution to you, and without any notice or compensation to you of any kind.
Click to expand...
It seems like people are trying their hardest to nitpick any issue they can with Origin
 
D

Derrick01

Banned
More reason to never download Origin. You can force my account to an origin one EA but you can't make me download that POS.
 
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