Activision Blizzard Inc. has enacted a new policy which has video gamers everywhere up in arms.
The company, which puts out games like “World of Warcraft,” “Diablo” and “Starcraft,” announced that forum posters will now have to reveal their real identities immediately after the launch of their newest Starcraft series, which was launched July 27.
Activision rationalizes that the new policy is necessary to limit the amount of trolling and other forms of cyber harassment in its forums. The company argues that the Real ID system is widely-used in such social networking sites and Facebook and Twitter, and that the move will allow gamers to better interact with their friends. Forum moderators, who work for Activision, will also use their real names, and the company says better customer service will be provided and complaints will be more easily addressed.
Irate players have flooded online gaming forums. Posters cited violations to their freedom of speech and Activision’ initial sign-up terms of agreement, which stated that the company will never reveal the players’ true identities.
Players have also picked apart the company’s reasons for removing the anonymity. They believe it is an unacceptable excuse for Activision’s inadequacy in moderating the forums, and are questioning why they are being forced to reveal their true identities to cover up the ineptitude of the moderators.
But gamers may be tapped by thieves for identity theft. Protection provided by not revealing one’s true identity will be compromised. To prove their point, some forum posters even posted information regarding Activision employees and their families, which they said can be easily obtained online, once you know their real names.
If this policy is implemented, identity theft protection will cease to exist for gamers, according to those opposed.
