Yeah maybe - I already work in a job that allows me very little anonymity, and so like turning off the damn phone, I value not having my identity thrown around. Also, these things have a way of getting the information spread further than one would like. I see no reason for having to reveal identities. If someone has a problem with a person - report them, and let Apple handle it. We can't do anything with a name anyways...
If you google my real name you'll find out all about me and then some, so I'm all for anonymity. I don't tell anybody who I am in these forums. I'm not famous, but I'm public enough that I want to keep forum life away from real life.
I'm annoyed by it but it's really not anything major. As long as I don't friend any random people, I'm ok.
I don't get what Apple accomplishes with this. The only thing I can think of is that it helps users filter thru friend requests, but then if you are concerned, then just don't accept users you don't recognize. Why should a name be required too?
Just one question for those who did accept new Game Center ToS: What's with multiplayer invitations and accepts? Will the real names of one or both participants (friends who have been accepted before new ToS) revealed or not? What's with game chat? Thanks in advance for enlightenment.
No one knows yet, so far there haven't really been any substantial changes that haven't already been mentioned. Something to keep in mind, it's pretty easy to make a new iTunes account if you're that worried about it. When you register, set your name as Harry Buttsniffer or whatever witty pseudonym you come up with and log in to Game Center with that. The nice thing about Game Center is that unlike the App Store and iBooks, your login to that is independent from the rest of the system-wide iTunes account stuff. Once you create your fake iTunes account and log in to Game Center you can basically just forget about it. Personally, I think this new change is great. Both my OpenFeint and Plus+ accounts are so crapped up with thousands of people from freemium friend spam games that I've tried very hard to keep Game Center to people I only actually know. Sending requests with real names actually makes my life easier, as I instantly know who to accept and who to deny. *shrug*
So did nobody play a multiplayer game since new GC ToS? The mp invitations and acceptations are similar to friendship invitations and acceptations, there is even the same fanfare sound when you get an invitation by a friend. Is there a real name showing up on such invitations? Will your real name be revealed when you accept a multiplayer invitation? Okay. You wrote in your article: I would really appreciate this. Thank you very much in advance, Eli! Thanks again for those hints. Maybe I'll consider that because I will really miss the multiplayer features, and some games like Cro Mag Rally and Nanosaur don't offer online multiplayer without Game Center. Fun races and battles! This is the only method how to accept it and I hope you can stay thorough consistent in your behaviour. Anonymity in internet is a huge debate since good ol' usenet. I decided for anonymity decades ago and didn't regret it. And I surely won't give it up for Game Center or any other public or half-public social networks. The first and only time when I typed my real name to internet was on iPhone activation, believe it or not. If something goes wrong anytime I will know: It must be Apple and/or ClickandBuy. I don't do online banking because of security reasons although I really would like to make use of it. Even here at tA and elsewhere are long "add me"-threads with nicknames since Game Center came up. Nobody knows all those "friends" personally. So this new step by Apple could be really dangerous especially for the younger audience who doesn't care and doesn't know anything about privacy and how important it is. There is even a passage on page 7 or 8 (who reads this?) in the Apple GC ToS: "Please take care if you are going to use those functions." They should put it in first place.
Not using online banking because of privacy issues is some serious tin foil hat stuff right there. Just use a strong password.
Almost ALL passwords are weak. There are even keyloggers. If you can't avoid passwords take one of these: https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm Further reading: (Sorry for a Microsoft link but they do have some experiences.) So Long, And No Thanks for the Externalities: The Rational Rejection of Security Advice by Users People Understand Risks -- But Do Security Staff Understand People?
I consider this move very bad and stupid. Blizzard tried to do something similar with their Battle.net service. For example, when you post on WoW's forum your WoW character's name will be displayed. Blizzard wanted to change it so that both your real name and your WoW character's name would be displayed. This caused major uproar and discussion. Some were against it and some didn't know how it could be bad. So one person then posted on his main WoW character and told his real name and basically challenged people to find out what they can. Another person decided to take the challenge and after little searching he found where the person lives, what family he has, what kind of car and pet he has, what he has bought recently, where he works etc. To confirm that he got the right person, he called to the person's work place and asked if the said person works there and if he could speak to him. He got him on the phone and asked if he is [WoW character's name here] and told him everything he found about him. So, sometimes suprising amount of information can be found with very little information, in this case real name and WoW character's name. Also one group of people who doesn't necessarily want to let others know their first name are female. They might get harassed by some males. Also I don't think this kind of breach of privacy goes too well with kids. They don't know how to keep themselves protected and what kind of consequences there can be about posting some private information on the web. And I personally want to maintain certain anonymity on the net. The exact reason why I named my account here "teidon" instead of my real name. There's no reason for Apple to remove that anonymity. Especially not on gaming service. There's a long history of not using your real name on gaming circles and games, and Apple doesn't need to change that perfectly good habit. I for one didn't accept the new user agreement and don't plan to do so until Apple "fixes" it.
I googled and there is no hockey player with the first or last name of Zincous....someone is telling porky pies.
Ok, so if you want to opt in, creating another account is fine. But how do you disable your old gamecenter id if you were already using gc?
I don't even have a password for my online banking as such. I have an ID which I can't change, then I enter my DoB then it asks me for some of the digits out of my security number, i.e. "Enter the first, fifth and last numbers from your security number". At least that way even if someone manages to see what I've entered they won't have my full password.
That's a remarkable example actually. Just transposing; The bank of Apple decides to let people know the names and relationships associated with a login. Now it shouldn't be difficult to find D.O.B., addresses and subsequently the SS# (not having experience of this, but I'm under the impression it's not hard, and is used for a lot of such IDs.) Edit; ah. Just read again; I presume your security number is a generated password? Bit harder then! BTW. Ta for letting me know what it takes to get in your bank account. I'll file that away for future reference...!
So, can I have all the apps using the new game center account but still have my AppStore app using my regular AppStore account so I can purchase, update without problems?
Is there a way to change names on Game Center? If not, hopefully Apple adds that option in the next update. ...Although I'm pretty sure I used a fake name to register on GameCenter anyways.
I chose the number myself, but in order to change it I have to contact the bank and prove I'm me. You're welcome, not that you couldn't have found out just by visiting a few banking websites anyway
