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By using Valve's online sites and products, users agree that Valve may collect aggregate information, individual information, and personally identifiabl

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. Valve may share aggregate information and individual information with other parties. Valve shall not share personally identifiable information with other parties, except as described in the policy below. It doesn't seem like it's much different than Steam. Check out the System Information option from the Help drop-down menu, I don't think it gathers that information by guessing. Steam was also forced onto users with the release of a much-anticipated product -- in Valve's case it was Half Life 2.

darrylb42 15y ago
I have seen Steam pop up a dialog that says what they collected and asks if you would like to submit it or not. It does not seem like they submit the information without your explicit consent.
chaostheory 15y ago
> But there’s a significant difference. Valve’s policy is self-restricted to anything on your PC directly relating to its own products. EA’s is so broad that it gives the publisher permission to scan your entire hard drive, and report back absolutely anything you may have installed, and indeed when you may use it, and then pass that information on the third parties. So currently Valve uses that clause mainly to scan for cheats and hacks; EA goes way beyond. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/24/eas-origin-eula-proves-even-more-sinister/ http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/24/eas-origin-eula-p...
- maximilianburke 15y ago
  EA also updated Origin's EULA after that article was posted: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/ea-revises-origin-eula-data-collection-is-still-in-collection/ http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/ea-revises-origin-eula-dat...
  - pyre 15y ago
    But not the Privacy Policy.
  - chaostheory 15y ago
    All they changed is the tone of the language, and nothing else.

darrylb42 15y ago

I have seen Steam pop up a dialog that says what they collected and asks if you would like to submit it or not. It does not seem like they submit the information without your explicit consent.

chaostheory 15y ago

> But there’s a significant difference. Valve’s policy is self-restricted to anything on your PC directly relating to its own products. EA’s is so broad that it gives the publisher permission to scan your entire hard drive, and report back absolutely anything you may have installed, and indeed when you may use it, and then pass that information on the third parties. So currently Valve uses that clause mainly to scan for cheats and hacks; EA goes way beyond. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/24/eas-origin-eula-proves-even-more-sinister/ http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/24/eas-origin-eula-p...

maximilianburke 15y ago
EA also updated Origin's EULA after that article was posted: http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/ea-revises-origin-eula-data-collection-is-still-in-collection/ http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/26/ea-revises-origin-eula-dat...
- pyre 15y ago
  But not the Privacy Policy.
- chaostheory 15y ago
  All they changed is the tone of the language, and nothing else.