So Dr.Heinous wanted to play Hellgate London tonight. I received it as a present long ago, but never installed it. No interest.
Well, for something to do, I figured I’d load it up. Then, during the installation, this intrusive little inquisitor popped up and started demanding information, like my name, my birthdate, my email, and so on.
Excuse me? I have to give you my name and date of birth to play a fucking game? How does this game know I plan to play online? I might be installing it for single player use. So why do this?
I started reading through the crap and yes, if I want to play online, I have to register with Ping0. Then I read their disclaimers and non-privacy policy. Bad as I thought. I don’t own the game, I so kindly purchased a license to play the game. Then I got to this….
Cookies and Web Beacons
We also use cookies and web beacons to collect and store personal information.
Cookies are pieces of information that a website sends to your computer while you are viewing the website. We use cookies for a variety of purposes. For example, when you return to one of our websites after logging in, cookies provide information to the website so that the website will remember who you are. You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You can do this through your browser (like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer) settings. Each browser is a little different, so look at your browser Help menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies. If you turn cookies off, you won’t have access to many features that make your web experience smoother, like the features mentioned above, and some of our services may not function properly.
Web beacons are small pieces of data that are embedded in images on the pages of websites and in our email communications. We also use these web beacons to analyze the traffic patterns, such as the frequency users visit various areas of our websites. These technical methods may involve transmitting information either directly to us or to another entity authorized by us to collect information on our behalf. We also use web beacons in HTML e-mails that we send our guests to determine whether our guests have opened those e-mails or clicked on links in those e-mails.
Network AdvertisersAdvertisements that are managed by third parties may be placed on our websites. These companies are called “network advertisers.†Network advertisers who may place advertisements on our websites may also use cookies and web beacons to collect non-personal information when you click on or move your cursor over one of their banner advertisements. You may not realize this information is being collected. In some cases, we may have access to information from web beacons and cookies used by network advertisers on our sites and this information may permit us to identify other sites that you have visited that are also associated with the network advertiser.
Finally, once you’ve clicked on an advertisement or third party logo and have left our websites, our Privacy Policy no longer applies and you must read the privacy policy of the advertiser to see how your personal information will be handled on their website.
back to topHow do we use your personal information?
The personal information you provide to Flagship Studios and/or Ping0 will allow us to fulfill your product or service order; alert you of new products or services, features, or enhancements; handle/route your customer service questions or issues; and/or notify you of upgrade opportunities, contests, promotions, or special events and offers. We may enhance or merge the personal information we collect with data from third parties. We may also provide your personal information to other companies or organizations that offer products or services that may be of interest to you. In such cases, we will notify you that the information will be shared and provide you with an opportunity to opt-out.Who is your personal information shared with?
Vendors/Service Providers
We may need to disclose your personal information to third party vendors and/or service providers, especially those companies that perform services necessary to our internal operations. For example, we may partner with other companies to maintain or manage our online gaming services, personalize our web pages, analyze customers’ interaction with our websites, process consumer surveys, fulfill product orders or prizes, process bills and collect from subscribers, or to process, analyze, and/or store data. While providing services for us, these companies may access your personal information. Before sharing your information with these companies, we will require them to agree to treat your information consistent with the provisions of this Privacy Policy.
Translation: Bend over, we’re gonna fuck you however we want.
Edit: Fledge has it right.
Update: And just to really make things worse, I have to have the disc available to uninstall it? So if I ever lost the disc, I couldn’t get this piece of crap off my system? How truly wonderful this crap smells.
This is what you got worked up about? Cookies information imbeddedin tags?
And the beacons, and the sharing. But really what set it off was the request for my D/O/B. You work with privileged data. How much damage can you do with a name and date of birth? Now add a credit card into the mix (for services I wasn’t going to purchase)
I’ll be damned if I’ll hand a bunch of idiots my date of birth, just to play a game.
Sadly they probably have to ask. THe game is rated ‘M’ for mature… Wouldn’t want a 17 year old to install it and get traumatized. AOC had to ask too (also rated M). Ah, the joys of being protected from ones self…