Does Steam spy on it's users?

[AUTISTIC BISCUIT]

I read this article about Orgins collecting data on software and websites that have been viewed by anyone who has installed Orgins, I wonder if Steam might do the same thing.

[GenPattonBR]

You mean, like this: http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey ????

[AUTISTIC BISCUIT]

Originally posted by GenPattonBR:

You mean, like this: http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey ????

Not really, that's hardware monitoring which is important, but Orgins watches the websites u visit and other software installed on ur PC.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by jackson921191:

Originally posted by GenPattonBR:

You mean, like this: http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey ????

Not really, that's hardware monitoring which is important, but Orgins watches the websites u visit and other software installed on ur PC.

Origin doesn't do that. That' simply the stupid anti-EA hate crowd fear mongering nonsense.

https://www.origin.com/en-us/termsofservice

https://www.origin.com/en-us/privacypolicy

Origin collects information on how you click through on theri website. JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER WEBSITE ON THE PLANET.

[Meatbug]

Originally posted by jackson921191:

Originally posted by GenPattonBR:

You mean, like this: http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey ????

Not really, that's hardware monitoring which is important, but Orgins watches the websites u visit and other software installed on ur PC.

Yeah, according to people you'll sell your soul if you use origin and they spy everything you're doing and watch you via webcam....

According to analysis which was done, they do nothing like that.

Check your tinfoil again, it might leak.

[Wolfpig]

Originally posted by jackson921191:

Not really, that's hardware monitoring which is important, but Orgins watches the websites u visit and other software installed on ur PC.

The Hardwaresurvey also collects data from the installed software, and google can probably tell you which Websites you visited in the last years....

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by jackson921191:

Not really, that's hardware monitoring which is important, but Orgins watches the websites u visit and other software installed on ur PC.

That is all web browsing in general. It is one of the reasons sites put cookies on your computer. There are ways to prevent that with various web browser settings and possibly 3rd party tools.

I am not sure if Origin does or does not do that, but I don't leave it running unless I am playing a game on it and I don't think it has a browser feature (never look for one).

As the Steam client uses an older version of Chrome with no settings (that I can find) to change, I don't know how they handle cookies from other sites, but that would be other sites and not Valve it's self.

[Drex]

I highly doubt Valve tracks anything but anonymous marketing data at worst they love their customers entirely too much. The hardware survey, which honestly can be incredibly useful for developers, is probably the only thing they really scrape from users and I'm pretty sure they usually ask if you want to participate first anyway.

[Pheace]

Originally posted by Wolfpig:

Originally posted by jackson921191:

Not really, that's hardware monitoring which is important, but Orgins watches the websites u visit and other software installed on ur PC.

The Hardwaresurvey also collects data from the installed software, and google can probably tell you which Websites you visited in the last years....

The Hardware Survey only ever checks your hardware/software when it asks for it. You get a random pop up every now and then asking if you want to participate. At that point you just say yes or no. It's hardly 'spying' when you say it's fine to look around :)

[Drex]

And honestly any software it looks for is commonalities, such as Flash, maybe adobe reader, etc.

[FromBehind]

They do collect statistical information about your usage, I'm pretty sure about that. Like they use Google Analytics on Steampowered.com - but in comparison with your usual browser, you can't prevent this tracking in the client itself (only if you block it globally via the hosts file). Also, they collect hardware information as you can see in the Steam Hardware Survey. As far as I remember the Hardware Survey is voluntary

[bl1nd]

i don't think so ...

[Dreakon13]

Yes. Steam wants everything you and your family have, and will do whatever it takes to get it.

[Dibzahab]

IMHO, folks are missing the point by focusing only on what is known to have been done versus what the obnoxiously vague licensing and usage agreements expressly permit. Even random b-list video games these days often come with EULAs that require acquiescence to certain information and there is invariably a "not limited to" phrase included. In the absence of laws or software layers that prohibit software from performing actions that don't directly support its advertised purpose, these products can basically help themselves to any data accessible by your machine. My personal belief is that any software that /may/ "spy" on users should be considered as software that "does" spy on users.

[Magillanica Lou Mayvin]

Origin doesn't do that , they do exactly what Steam does , they give you a survey which you can take or not. End of story. Origin user for many years here and haven't found anything even remotely related to this. Ever

[☬ El_Diablo]

I hope not