Epic launcher collects Steam friends & play history

WhiteLightning

Moderator

2019-03-15 18:09

RealNC:

It is assumed that if you install software on your computer, you trust that software. Which makes sense. You wouldn't install spyware willingly, would you? If you do, and it collects your data, you can't blame Steam or anyone else. You can only blame yourself. If the Epic launcher would be blocked by anti-virus software, that would be great. But we all know this won't happen. Not all spyware is created equal; it depends on who makes the spyware.

This is not true, because the Privacy law, ever application has to ask for permission in a way. Steam is just as bad as what Facebook did before.

#5650356

schmidtbag

2019-03-15 18:11

Ugh people are so whiny and paranoid over the stupidest things. "Oh no, public data is being collected without my consent! How dare they make connecting with friends on other platforms easier to do!" Seriously, this isn't an infringement upon your privacy. Epic isn't doing anything to harm you, your gaming experience, or your friends. Worst-case scenario, you get some ads regarding games you're interesting in. Wow, what a horrible thing to deal with (/s)!

#5650358

WhiteLightning

Moderator

2019-03-15 18:16

schmidtbag:

Ugh people are so whiny and paranoid over the stupidest things. "Oh no, public data is being collected without my consent! How dare they make connecting with friends on other platforms easier to do!" Seriously, this isn't an infringement upon your privacy. Epic isn't doing anything to harm you, your gaming experience, or your friends. Worst-case scenario, you get some ads regarding games you're interesting in. Wow, what a horrible thing to deal with (/s)!

But it is up to the user what to share. You clearly do not care about your privacy. That doesn't mean others don't have to either though.

#5650360

schmidtbag

2019-03-15 18:17

WhiteLightning:

But it is up to the user what to share. You clearly do not care about your privacy. That doesn't mean others don't have to either though.

Again, it's public data. That means it's not for the user to decide to share. If you don't want it shared, stop using Steam. EDIT: Doesn't change my point that people are whining over something so petty. It's not like any of that data is incriminating or can be used for potential malice.

#5650365

WhiteLightning

Moderator

2019-03-15 18:25

schmidtbag:

Again, it's public data. That means it's not for the user to decide to share. If you don't want it shared, stop using Steam.

You need to give permission to share any data that has you involved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation Why do you think Facebook got fined if data is just public ? Just another case of Steam writing its own rules. Their policy: https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ Doesn't say anything about this! only that they will share it with valve related company or customer support. doesn't say anything about Epic , or anyone else who has access to our data in the cloud.

#5650371

schmidtbag

2019-03-15 18:30

WhiteLightning:

You need to give permission to share any data that has you involved. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Data_Protection_Regulation Why do you think facebook got fined if data is just public ? Just another case of Steam writing its own rules.

That article you linked to is about a different problem: whether Valve has the right to assume your data is public. That has nothing to do with whether Epic is allowed to collect that data (which they do, because again, it's public). So - if the complaint is "I don't consent to this data being public" then I would totally side with that. But people here seem to be more complaining "I don't consent to this public data being collected" which is nonsense and as far as I'm aware, there is no legal restriction on that (of course, excluding stuff like plagiarism or redistribution, which Epic isn't doing). EDIT: When it comes to stuff like Facebook, they took private data, collected it for themselves, and redistributed it to ad companies. They deserved being sued for that.

#5650373

WhiteLightning

Moderator

2019-03-15 18:37

schmidtbag:

That article you linked to is about a different problem: whether Valve has the right to assume your data is public. That has nothing to do with whether Epic is allowed to collect that data (which they do, because again, it's public). So - if the complaint is "I don't consent to this data being public" then I would totally side with that. But people here seem to be more complaining "I don't consent to this public data being collected" which is nonsense and as far as I'm aware, there is no legal restriction on that (of course, excluding stuff like plagiarism or redistribution, which Epic isn't doing). EDIT: When it comes to stuff like Facebook, they took private data, collected it for themselves, and redistributed it to ad companies. They deserved being sued for that.

They cant share your history if you don't agree with it. That is by law. Now it is the other way around , they share everything , until you say no cant do that. that data is private, not public.

#5650379

schmidtbag

2019-03-15 18:45

WhiteLightning:

They cant share your history if you don't agree with it. That is by law. Now it is the other way around , they share everything , until you say no cant do that. that data is private, not public.

I understand all of that and on the surface, I agree, but there's still 2 problems here: 1. It's put in plain writing in Valve's privacy policy that they can in fact publicize your data, in section 5.4: https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/ Again - if you don't like it, don't use Steam. They are not doing anything illegal because you are required to agree with the TOS in order to use their service. As far as I'm concerned, ignorance on the user's part does not put Valve at fault. 2. People seem to be complaining more that this legally publicized data is being collected [for your convenience]. That's what I find irritating.

#5650389

RealNC

2019-03-15 19:09

WhiteLightning:

This is not true, because the Privacy law, ever application has to ask for permission in a way. Steam is just as bad as what Facebook did before.

AFAIK, Steam asks for permission. The data it collects from your computer is used for their user statistics, but it asks you whether you want that data to be submitted or not. And it shows you what that data is exactly.

#5650434

KissSh0t

2019-03-15 20:25

ManuKey:

ahaha no surprise since TENCENT, a chinese shareholding communist company own a part of Epic, if you read about Tencent, you will see what kind of rubbish company they are...

40% ownership is a pretty large percentage....

#5650438

schmidtbag

2019-03-15 20:29

RealNC:

AFAIK, Steam asks for permission. The data it collects from your computer is used for their user statistics, but it asks you whether you want that data to be submitted or not. And it shows you what that data is exactly.

That's a different set of data being collected which I don't think has anything to do with Epic, but, you are right that you're allowed to opt out of that survey.

#5650477

Clouseau

2019-03-15 21:41

official response:

...Sweeney acknowledged that Epic making local access to Steam files without direct permission might justifiably rub some users the wrong way. "You guys are right that we ought to only access the localconfig.vdf file after the user chooses to import Steam friends," he wrote on Reddit. "The current implementation is a remnant left over from our rush to implement social features in the early days of Fortnite. It's actually my fault for pushing the launcher team to support it super quickly and then identifying that we had to change it. Since this issue came to the forefront we're going to fix it."

At least he is owning it. Still sad though.

#5650480

KissSh0t

2019-03-15 22:12

What he means to say is oops we got caught and will now change it.

#5650484

metagamer

2019-03-15 22:30

Wouldn't you look at this. Epic launcher gets some free advertising. They can't put a foot wrong currently.

#5650512

KissSh0t

2019-03-15 23:26

Some more interesting information, seems the fortnight launcher is also collecting internet browsing data of some sort. https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/b1fvqe/epic_games_launcher_also_appear_to_collect/

#5650514

metagamer

2019-03-15 23:45

KissSh0t:

Some more interesting information, seems the fortnight launcher is also collecting internet browsing data of some sort. https://www.reddit.com/r/pcgaming/comments/b1fvqe/epic_games_launcher_also_appear_to_collect/

Of course it does, everything does! Source being reddit makes it even more hilarious.

#5650516

lucidus

2019-03-15 23:47

ManuKey:

ahaha no surprise since TENCENT, a chinese shareholding communist company own a part of Epic, if you read about Tencent, you will see what kind of rubbish company they are...

It's higher than 40%. 48.4% of the shares excluding employee stock options and they have two representatives on their board of directors. I'll just torrent anything they poach, I'm not installing that spyware garbage that looks for winnie the pooh memes on my PC. They also blocked sales of the division 2 on anything except the ubisoft store directly or the epic games store. They're a blight on the pc gaming scene right now. Fuck them and their engine. https://www.pcgamer.com/the-division-2-wont-be-available-from-third-party-stores-after-launch/

#5650520

KissSh0t

2019-03-15 23:53

metagamer:

Of course it does, everything does! Source being reddit makes it even more hilarious.

Is reddit funny? the pc gaming bit is the main thing I go there for, and then some early access games that have pages on reddit.

lucidus:

I'm not installing that spyware garbage that looks for winnie the pooh memes on my PC./

*Xi Jinping Triggered*

#5650522

lucidus

2019-03-16 00:05

KissSh0t:

*Xi Jinping Triggered*

Maybe if you're a good boy with high social credit, they may even sponsor a game addiction camp visit after looking at the hours you've logged 😀

#5650528

KissSh0t

2019-03-16 00:16

lucidus:

Maybe if you're a good boy with high social credit, they may even sponsor a game addiction camp visit after looking at the hours you've logged 😀

Ughh.. yeah.. I'd be getting 1000 years dungeon if they saw how many hours I've wasted in space engineers....