Why Steam is trying to get information about ALL the applications I have installed in my pc???????? Isn't it ilegal to do such thing???

[Luis Goncalves]

Steam is popping a "friendly" survey every time i log in asking is i want to participate, first a few questions then get my pc specs, so far so good, but then they get all my installed application list to dump into their data base WTF?????

Why Steam is trying to get information about ALL the applications I have installed in my pc? Isn't it ilegal to do such thing? Why not minding their owne business and what possible good things can come from that?

Is this for real? why is steam doing this? What an offense.

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Simply say no, close the window, and move on. At least steam ask and allows you to opt out. Also it is not normal for steam to asks you every time you login.

[Tito Shivan]

The installed program list is useful to developers to guess software incompatibilities that can affect games performance.

[Spawn of Totoro]

They aren't trying to get information about them. They are trying to get information about what you have.

It is all non-personal information and can't be tied back to you.

And, no. It isn't illegal. Even hear of cookies? They send back information without asking, and they are legal. They send back more information then Steam is asking for.

[Vaemer-Riit]

Filinto eredeti hozzászólása:

Why Steam is trying to get information about ALL the applications I have installed in my pc?

Knowing the most common applications that people have installed allows them to know what programs they should prioritize for Compatibility Testing.

Filinto eredeti hozzászólása:

Isn't it ilegal to do such thing?

No, they are asking for the information and not taking it.

Filinto eredeti hozzászólása:

Why not minding their owne business and what possible good things can come from that?

It gives them a list to start from if compatibility errors start happening.

Filinto eredeti hozzászólása:

Is this for real? why is steam doing this? What an offense.

[/quote]
Yes ASKING for a list of installed programs is much worse than Google reading your email to target ads to you. /sarcasm

[Guilherme (jgcasa)]

It is a very useful feature...those with nothing to hide, should allow this feedback to them by the obvious reasons explained by the other folks.

[FraggleRock Ampersand]

Filinto eredeti hozzászólása:

why is steam doing this?.

So they can steal your thoughts with their HAARP machine, obviously. Have you constucted an aluminium cranial shield?
If not you should.

[Mivo]

Spawn of Totoro eredeti hozzászólása:

And, no. It isn't illegal. Even hear of cookies? They send back information without asking, and they are legal. They send back more information then Steam is asking for.

Cookies must be declared and explained, and besides, they don't scan your hard drive and send that to anywhere. I recall some court cases that dealt with scanning the hard drive, though I think those were in regard to software doing it when you use it regularly. A survey can probably be constructed as the user giving consent. It may be legal, but it's hardly ethical to do it without explicitly stating so.

[d7602002]

People worry too much. Did you ever stop to consider that someone somewhere is probably reading all your email? Listening to your phone calls? Spying on you? You think you are safe but you are not. Don't care if you are in Europe, USA, Russia....you are being spied on no matter what you do. Who cares?

If you are so afraid of what might happen, then don't use technology. Live in bunker with no outside communication and you'll be ok. Well not really...but..

[Spawn of Totoro]

Archduke eredeti hozzászólása:

Within the European Union, any web locations that use cookies must clearly describe what information is collected and allow the user to opt out in order for use of those cookies to be legal.

Mivo eredeti hozzászólása:

Cookies must be declared and explained, and besides, they don't scan your hard drive and send that to anywhere. I recall some court cases that dealt with scanning the hard drive, though I think those were in regard to software doing it when you use it regularly. A survey can probably be constructed as the user giving consent. It may be legal, but it's hardly ethical to do it without explicitly stating so.

No, they don't. Every site you go to leaves a cookie. They never ask. Go to google.com. Where is is declared and explained?

Hotmail? Where? Steampowered.com?

Every site leaves a cookie. To what extent varies from one site to another.

Even if there is a requirement to declare what it does, it will most likely be burried in a TOS and/or Privacy Policy in the site.

Many sites require you to allow them to use cookies or you can't even access them.

[Tito Shivan]

Spawn of Totoro eredeti hozzászólása:

No, they don't. Every site you go to leaves a cookie. They never ask. Go to google.com. Where is is declared and explained?

I had both Google[searchengineland.com] and Yahoo[www.pcworld.com] made me read and accept their policies on cookies.

[Kenny32673]

Spawn of Totoro eredeti hozzászólása:

No, they don't. Every site you go to leaves a cookie. They never ask. Go to google.com. Where is is declared and explained?

Hotmail? Where? Steampowered.com?

Every site leaves a cookie. To what extent varies from one site to another.

Even if there is a requirement to declare what it does, it will most likely be burried in a TOS and/or Privacy Policy in the site.

Many sites require you to allow them to use cookies or you can't even access them.

EU Cookie Law[www.theeucookielaw.com]

[ANGEL]

Wikipedia - Cookies.
Not the soft dough kind
Never mind about the Laws. Its so easy in todays composition to block and filter Cookies Entirely...Whats the big Deal?. Unless of Course this survey is a worm. This is Valve! The Nationalists of Gamer's. (One for the Book Throwers in this Fourum)
Just close the Survey and carry on.

[TheWebDoctor]

*Sigh* This again I'm guessing you're a new user, Steam uses the info to improve the platform with performance and compatibility.

Filinto eredeti hozzászólása:

Steam is popping a "friendly" survey every time i log in asking is i want to participate, first a few questions then get my pc specs, so far so good, but then they get all my installed application list to dump into their data base WTF?????

Why Steam is trying to get information about ALL the applications I have installed in my pc? Isn't it ilegal to do such thing? Why not minding their owne business and what possible good things can come from that?

Is this for real? why is steam doing this? What an offense.

[Nacimota]

It's not illegal if you consent. If you don't consent, they won't take your information. What's the big deal?

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Nacimota eredeti hozzászólása:

It's not illegal if you consent. If you don't consent, they won't take your information. What's the big deal?

It's the privacy era, people like making a stink whenever they "think" their privacy is somehow violated these days without thinking things through.