Why doesnt steam protect our IP addresses?

[Amadeus]

Its ridiculous, we know this problem for years, anyone can get your ip in 2seconds. It has many risks.

[TirithRR]

Originally posted by Master:

Its ridiculous, we know this problem for years, anyone can get your ip in 2seconds. It has many risks.

Why do you assume IP Addresses are private? Steam can't hide it when you connect to servers... unless they force you to use Proxies, which would add latency to your connections and slow your games down.

[Pcnuttie]

valve needs to consider better security. they have alot to catch up. I still think they need an 1-800 nbr. live chat.

[=D]

meh

[TirithRR]

Originally posted by Kal-El:

valve needs to consider better security. they have alot to catch up. I still think they need an 1-800 nbr. live chat.

1-800 number and live chat have nothing to do with security.

[Barnacle Boy]

Originally posted by TirithRR:

Originally posted by Master:

Its ridiculous, we know this problem for years, anyone can get your ip in 2seconds. It has many risks.

Why do you assume IP Addresses are private? Steam can't hide it when you connect to servers... unless they force you to use Proxies, which would add latency to your connections and slow your games down.

They're not necessarily worried about servers knowing your ip address; players, on the other hand, have no need to see ip addresses, and that is a valid privacy concern.

[Amadeus]

Why cant steam hide it? They need that information and not others. And yes im talking about people. Anyone can add you, call you, cancel the call and get your ip address.

[Satoru]

Even Germany doesnt consider IP addresses private information

[Amadeus]

Well Hungary does, its just as personal as your credit card number.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by Master:

Well Hungary does, its just as personal as your credit card number.

That's bizarrely rediculous. It means that if you have DHCP I 'stole' your IP address when its lease renews? Well lock me up and throw away the key!

[TirithRR]

Originally posted by Master:

Well Hungary does, its just as personal as your credit card number.

I really doubt that. Any server, website, person, you connect to, has your IP Address. It's not up to them to hide it for you. If you want to show me the law, I guess I'll beleive you, but if it exists it's a very ignorant law.

[Amadeus]

I can only show you hungarian articles. But if you are familiar with politics many EU data protection/IT experts think it should be a personal information in every country.

[spoof]

it is not personal info it is your ISP info.
they protect your identity.

[TirithRR]

Originally posted by Master:

I can only show you hungarian articles. But if you are familiar with politics many EU data protection/IT experts think it should be a personal information in every country.

I'm not interested in opinions and articles though. Only real law. Many people think many things, doesn't give them much if any weight.

Treating IP Addresses as personal information may work in the sense that "Steam can't tell them your IP Address" But you are choosing to connect to a website, forum, game server, etc, that is you giving them your IP Address. The same as if you ordered an item and told them your home address to deliver it to you.

[Amadeus]

Giving them your IP address is okay, because you want something from them. But the websites shouldnt give it to third party, thats why its personal data. Personal does not mean you are the only one allowed to know.

[TirithRR]

Originally posted by Master:

Giving them your IP address is okay, because you want something from them. But those websites shouldnt give it to third party, thats why its personal data. Personal does not mean you are the only one allowed to know.

Steam's not handing out your IP Address. So... no problems.