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From: robb7thurston on 10 Jul 2010 02:01
----- Forwarded message from David Berry <ravenman(a)rocketmail.com>
-----

Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 21:30:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: David Berry <ravenman(a)rocketmail.com>
Subject: [ NNSquad ] Re: Blizzard retreats on "real name" requirement
for
gamers
To: nnsquad(a)nnsquad.org

Blizzard retreats on "real name" requirement for gamers

http://huff.to/bjAmaW (Huffington)

--Lauren--
NNSquad Moderator



It scary how close the nature of Blizzard's Real ID scheme is with the
Federal
ID legislation. Just as the Federal ID system would be, the
disclosure of
identity is a one-way street, where the consumer is forced to
relinquish their
expectation of privacy, while the monitors and "administrators" are
not.

With Blizzard's active MMO community, World of Warcraft, most accounts
are tied
directly to credit cards, which are the basis for proving one's "Real
ID"
information. Under the "Real ID" regime, it would be nearly
impossible to
maintain any semblance of anonymity as a customer. Imagine being
forced to
register your driver's license with the city counsel to attend a town
hall
meeting, and wearing a large copy of it around your neck when you
speak your
mind, simply because too many "jerks" were yelling about the condition
of the
roads in the city.

Real ID has not disappeared. Blizzard has taken steps to assuage its
furious
customer base by reversing their stance on the most controversial
aspect of it,
but the system remains in operation throughout Blizzard systems and
games. The
integration of Facebook is often cited as the cause of all this, and
marks a
sickening trend whereby our fantasy realms demand integration with
reality. I
have a daughter, age 6, who maintains a better grasp on the separation
of
fantasy and reality than Blizzard does at this point.

In many ways, we have brought this upon ourselves, but in others, I
suspect
something more sinister occurring in the background where the dollars
are
exchanged. Is Blizzard's push to wrangle a large share of the
"Internet"
demographic merely a stepping stone for government legitimization of
such
tactics? It's curious how the timing coincides.

In any case, I am emboldened to find that the general bulk of
Blizzard's
customers, which represent a vast swath of Internet users, have
rejected this
program to a sufficient degree as to cause Blizzard to reverse their
controversial policy within mere *days*. While Blizzard customers are
not "out
of the woods" on the matter of terrible privacy practices, we can
effect change
with a resolute voice and determination. I hope we are more
successful against
the government.

-David Berry

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