Late last month, The Toronto Star published an article about data collection and privacy in video games, citing Ubisoft specifically and just how easy it is for them to gather digital mountains of data. We decided to take a step back and look at the big picture of how corporations like Microsoft or Sony might then use this data for profit, but also how analytics like this can still be helpful while not intruding in our personal lives.
We live in an age where most people severely lack digital privacy. The NSA is spying on us, Facebook is selling your information, and the majority of apps you download on your phone requests access to damn near everything. In most cases this is relatively harmless, but what happens when companies don’t just want to know what you’ve “liked”, but start to search through your personal messages for keywords and phrases? Isn’t it a little bit creepy when you google a few things outside of incognito mode, and all of a sudden ads for what you searched start popping up everywhere?
Unfortunately, this trend isn’t going away. In fact, bigger companies that have the resources to collect and sift through analytics data have likely been using your information for years. Most end user license agreements – those long, legalese text boxes you’re required to scroll through and confirm you read – have statements mentioning collection of data. How you navigated the menu, how much time was spent in certain modes, and even what types of specs your PC might have if you’re not on console. You probably don’t think much about it, by the analysts do.
Most of this data is taken to generate heat maps, bar graphs, pie charts, or any other visual representation of how users are spending their time and resources within each game. Developers then use this information to tweak their games accordingly, especially if there’s an active online community. Generally used for balance purposes or streamlining convoluted features/menus, I’m personally %100 alright with this. What scares me is the idea that companies like Sony or Microsoft could someday start searching through things like my personal messages, if they’re not doing it already.
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“Isn’t it a little bit creepy when you google a few things outside of incognito mode, and all of a sudden ads for what you searched start popping up everywhere?”
Aside from personal intrusion, it’s upsetting that companies might be willing to sell off this information to the highest bidder. Facebook already does this, but at least their service is free. However, many of us pay for subscription services like PS+ or XBL Gold. I think collecting game analytics to improve a project is fine, but what happens when voice detection hears me tell my friends online that I’m going to go grab a bite to eat, and all of a sudden there are ads for fast food appearing on my dashboard?
It might sound a bit absurd right now, but the reality is that this might not be too far off. Voice recognition software is getting better and better every day, the internet is getting faster, and companies are constantly trying to connect our virtual identities. Often when I sign up for some new service, I’m asked to link my Facebook account, or receive a text/phone call with a password to log in. The days of having an alternate email specifically for service registration might almost be at an end. After all, it doesn’t matter which email you used if they’ve got your phone number or billing information.
So there goes anonymity. Well, for the average user anyway. Currently it’s not too hard to set up proxy networks or use tor browsers to stay hidden when browsing online, but how many people actually bother going to those lengths to hide something like your PS4 activity? I know I don’t, and I’ve lately become quite adamant in keeping my digital footprint to a minimum.
These days when I download a new game from the Google Play store and see that there are hardly any permissions required, I’m glad. It’s not like I wouldn’t hit accept anyway, I’m not super paranoid, but it’s just nice seeing that the developer recognized his game doesn’t need to dip its fingers into every aspect of my phone. Then, I can’t help but wonder about all the other times I did hit accept when the list of permissions was so long it needed a scroll bar. About if it was really necessary, and who is profiting the most from my personal data.
At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to play some games and relax. Many of us are trying to disconnect from the real world and get lost in something else, if only for a few hours a week. Is it really so hard to ask for a little bit of peace of mind? In five years, I really don’t want to turn off whatever console or PC I have, and later see advertisements based on what I may have been talking about or doing in-game. It’s not the present that scares me when it comes to the data collection in games, it’s the future.