Due to TSR’s continuing attitude that they can and will do as they please with your data, it is time to take a look at the risk factors of joining or subscribing to them.
TSR are very fond of quoting laws and disclaimers that they make up as they go along, let us take a look at TSR’s Privacy Policy that they think gives them the right to legally publish YOUR PRIVATE DATA .
Ok then..
So basically what they are saying here is that as long as Atwa remains off the pay roll, she can share what she pleases. They can also share information they have gained from other sources, such as the recently shared information they claim was from EA via a petition. ( The community claims to have proof that this petition was hacked and not sent to EA ) TSR still thinks they can legally share this as it did not come from their DB, and they Atwa is not technically employed by TSR at this present moment in time.
Note that DATA is clarified above as ‘personally identifiable information’
Here it says they will make efforts to prevent your data UNLESS it is found that you violate their site policy,TOS,TOU, other usage guidelines, OR if they deem it necessary to protect ‘their’ property. Under their own TOU,’ their property’ is all YOUR creations, not just the modified EA property they sell. Under these rules, you could have all your personal information disclosed for, sharing your own work, sharing modified EA content, speaking out against them or just being a member of a forum that disagrees with anything they do. This can and HAS happened. ( See all 10 pages of the screencapped PayPal sharing thread, where reasons given for sharing info were anything from being a member of SFV to leaving comments that were deemed ‘too nice’
Even if you do not break any of their oppressive rules and regulations, they still can not guarantee your information will not be shared.
This policy is not a legal document, and it has no effect on the laws of private data sharing. I could put up a legal notice on my property stating that all Christmas carolers are welcome, but those singing out of tune will be shot, this does not mean I can legally shoot them as my disclaimer does not over-rule national law, even if I want it to be so.
TSR have publically defended their information sharing in the past ( in their site news section ) by labeling their victims ‘pirates’. Yet they have failed to prove that any one of those people have ever committed an act of piracy. That is the true definition of libel, a word TSR like to flippantly throw around these days.
‘Pirate’ to TSR simply means person who frequents websites or forums they deem to be unacceptable. In the absence of TSR posting a list of ‘unacceptable’ sites/forums, any one you could be a ‘pirate’ and be unaware of it, meaning your personal information could be, and probably is, at risk.
So what information could they share about you? The TSR DB holds a vast amount of information on over 2,293,127 members. Information held on each person varies, but information held on subscribers and former subscribers will be more lengthy and accurate as it is necessary for these people to provide their PayPal email address.
Information held on you could be: Username, Email, unencrypted password, full real name, home address, Birth date, IP, cookie data. This much they admit to. Usage of TSR tools and ‘trackers’ found in downloads could provide them with even more.
So what can you do about it?
Many people have asked me through my comments system, what they can do about this. I can not legally advise you, but I can suggest that those on low incomes with access to free legal advice in your country take it, even if it is just to ensure the removal of your personal data. Anyone who has a major privacy violation, been wrongly accused of piracy and/or has had money stolen through un-refunded subs should also consider taking legal advice.
Thanks for the advice. I’d suggest everyone who has a subscription to TSR to get it removed, or refunded immediately, if possible.
Unfortunately for me, this advice doesn’t hold true-only because in my line of work, my personal information is available on the Internet and it’s legally required to be. It’d be a waste of time trying to remove one listing that isn’t going to affect me so much more than my real one.
Otherwise I’d be screaming and suing the pants off TSR for listing my user name like they did.
It’s none of their business where I download anything, and if I do. I don’t care if they hate all of the free sites. It just shows them that they’re not the only game in town, and they desperately want to be. Sorry, TSR, those days are long gone. Thank God!
Comment by Mary — December 2, 2009 @ 01:49
The bit that really got me was the #7. No Guarantees.
Are you fucking KIDDING me? This is basically giving them a free “out” to declare, “Hey, your stuff may or may not be shared, but if it gets leaked, meh! It was out of our control! *shrug* Too bad….”
Seriously guys, some companies/websites privacy policies can be wordy and hard to understand at times, but the truly REPUTABLE ones usually state, “We will not share your private information. Ever. Period”, or something to that effect.
I have gotten Trojan popups just from browsing their crappy website, yet they refuse to awknowledge it. They share my info and charge money for the mediocre shit that Atwat churns out. Hell, I’m even expected to pay for Windkeeper’s meshes…Tom still rakes it in on her stuff despite the fact that she bowed out of the game long ago.
Pah. They all reek of filthy lucre and the ‘twat’s rancid breath. I’ll stick with my beloved BPS, thank you very much.
Reply: That is a popular misunderstanding. Their ‘policy’ is by no means a ‘get out clause’ as it contradicts actual law and is therefore meaningless.
-Coconut
Comment by Danielle — December 2, 2009 @ 09:00
I was a free member at TSR, not a paypal subscriber – EVER!! But does all this hoot about personal info pertain to the “use to be” free members as well? I am on that list and I believe as you’ve stated before, it’s from the petition that was signed towards the beginning of the year. I remember foolishly signing it only because I was disgusted with EA’s actions and thought I would take the chance to somewhat make a different in doing so. Not really thinking it would be hacked, nor used to leak everyone on the list to the public and referring them as pirates.
Comment by KMH — December 2, 2009 @ 09:19
how do i go about having my subscription being removed? i only have 78 days left on it
Reply: That is somewhat easy, I am sure they will be happy to remove your subscription privileges if you write a support ticket. However getting a refund on the remaining 78 days anytime before hell freezes over will be a feat in itself.
-Coconut
Comment by sara carter — December 2, 2009 @ 11:39
So, I just found this site after being on the TSR site and seeing something about accusations.. I’ve been a TSR member (both paid and free) for sometime now and I’m curious to know what’s happening between this site and TSR. I tried to go back through this site, but there’s soooooo much information that it’s tough to really gauge what’s happened. Anyone mind recapping?
Fortunately, I’m not on said list, but it’s disturbing to know a site like TSR is sharing information.
Comment by Foley — December 3, 2009 @ 07:10
If we did choose to pursue legal recourse, would you be able to provide any evidence we would need?
Just curious. I never subscribed to their site so they don’t have my Paypal info or home address. I’m bothered by my email address just being out there but I’m not sure that really constitutes a privacy violation.
Reply: Yes I would be willing to provide evidence to a lawyer.
-Coconut
Comment by Shady — December 3, 2009 @ 09:32
Contact FBI if your name and/or email is on the list. They have jurisdiction.
FBI Legal Attaché Office
Copenhagen, Denmark
American Embassy: 011-45-3341-7100
Nations covered: Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
And ofcourse:
Report Internet Crime
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
Comment by lol — December 6, 2009 @ 07:43
I’ve filed a complaint via the IC3. I’ve never shared nor downloaded any of TSR’s crap illegally, yet because I signed a petition my name and e-mail is on this list being sent out to whoever they want to send it to. While I don’t believe they have any of my PayPal or CC info, I am still disgusted that they are passing around an old e-mail address and my name to people. I left the link to this site in my complaint. I doubt any of it will do any good, but maybe if enough people added to the complaint against their info being handed out like forwarded jokes, some may come out of it.
Comment by DownWithTSR — December 13, 2009 @ 13:39
You might want to post about this:
http://www.digitalperversion.net/gardenofshadows/index.php?topic=15782.90
At the bottom of the thread, there is a discussion about a Select Artist at TSR, Frozen and Iced, who is converting Sims 2 clothing without permission and claiming it as her own work – a thief.
Reply: Thankyou, I will take a look later, if this is the one with the layered tops, both TSR and myself are already aware of this, I will report on this soon when I have more time, although TSR are more worried about a real life theft issue with one of their FA’s at the moment!
-Coconut
Comment by Arr! TSRsucks! — December 15, 2009 @ 13:42