EA Germany Tweaks Origin ToS, Issues Statement Denying Spyware Claims

November 2, 2011 -

Electronic Arts is denying claims from German gamers and the press that its download service Origin spies on users' computer activity and potentially breaks Germany's Privacy laws.

Yesterday German Origin users - who were forced to use the service in order to play Battlefield 3 - reacted in anger after images and video surfaced online appearing to show the service accessing external programs and data synced from mobile phones on computers. The German newspaper Spiegel also printed a list of items from Origin's license agreement that it said could violate German privacy laws.

In response to the very public outcry we detailed yesterday, EA Germany has updated Origin's terms of service and issued a statement denying its software was "spyware."

"We have updated the End User License Agreement of Origin, in the interests of our players to create more clarity," EA Germany announced in a statement yesterday. "Origin is not spyware. Neither do we use nor install spyware on the PCs of users."

"We do not have access to information such as pictures, documents or personal data, which have nothing to do with the execution of the Origin program on the system of the player, neither will they be collected by us," the statement continued. "EA takes the privacy of its users very seriously. We have taken every precaution to protect the personal and anonymous user data collected."

EA closed by saying that Origin's license agreement matches "industry-standard privacy policies" and that it would "work together with the relevant Government agencies to ensure that our policies are and remain legally compliant."

Source: Eurogamer

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Comments

Re: EA Germany Tweaks Origin ToS, Issues Statement Denying ...

Submitted by ZippyDSMlee on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 15:45.

Wrong post, delete this plz

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http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/

Re: EA Germany Tweaks Origin ToS, Issues Statement Denying ...

Submitted by MechaCrash on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 14:05.

You know what'd be an even better way to protect the private data of customers?

Don't fucking collect it in the first place.

Re: EA Germany Tweaks Origin ToS, Issues Statement Denying ...

Submitted by ZippyDSMlee on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 11:03.

Everything it dose is what spyware dose only is supposedly legit software.

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http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/

Re: EA Germany Tweaks Origin ToS, Issues Statement Denying ...

Submitted by Technogeek on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 13:55.

Can you be more specific as to what Origin supposedly does? I've reviewed several of the claims about Origin and have either been unable to reproduce the alleged behavior, or see them as insufficent evidence for malicious intent. (The connections to Amazon EC2 servers would serve as an example of the latter)

Re: EA Germany Tweaks Origin ToS, Issues Statement Denying ...

Submitted by ZippyDSMlee on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 15:46.

Its all in the intent really it makes one spyware and the other not, tho in the smaller view of things its close enough and sucks as far as a DRM service goes all the more reason to whack it unless its used for cheat blocking then that would be the only reason require it.

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http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/

Shout box

Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am

Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm

Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm

Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm

Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm

Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm

Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm

Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm

Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm

ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm

MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm

Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm

MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am

Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am

quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm

quiknkold: I thought it was a good article. Jeff is right. I feel like GamerGate did destroy its message. I am for Ethics in game journalism, but man. so much hate. and its on both sides. I've seen some awful stuff spewed on twitter. Its a big reason why I exited..10/17/2014 - 7:34pm

Matthew Wilson: while he focused on gg, he did call out both sides crap.10/17/2014 - 7:18pm

Papa Midnight: That was a damn good read offered by Jeff Gertsmann.10/17/2014 - 7:17pm

Matthew Wilson: http://www.giantbomb.com/articles/letter-from-the-editor-10-17-2014/1100-5049/ deferentially a nice write up.10/17/2014 - 6:44pm

All shouts

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