Microsoft Plays Big Brother With Xbox Live -- Posted by XanTium on December 5 14:40 EST
From hexus.net:
[QUOTE]
Now no doubt Microsoft has this totally covered in its Terms and Conditions that you have to agree to when you sign up for an Xbox LIVE account, but did you know just how much information Microsoft shares with other Xbox 360 owners about what you're doing? Simply put, anyone you've been in contact with through Xbox LIVE can subsequently see what you're up to, regardless of whether they're in your friends list or not.

We here at HEXUS became a little anxious when the boss sent me a voice message over Xbox LIVE asking what I was doing viewing pictures through Media Connect instead of playing games on my Xbox 360. I assumed he'd made a lucky guess as he knew I was still playing around with the Xbox 360's media functions, using Media Connect to view stored family photos from my main PC. What I didn't realise was that he could actually see what I was doing as it was being relayed over Xbox LIVE and showing up in my profile!

If you were playing games, it'd be understandable to have your profile on display, showing what games you'd played, how far you'd gotten in them, what reputation you had etc etc... All of this info is in your gamer card and relevant to online gaming in general. Where Microsoft crosses the line is when you're not gaming. Your Xbox 360 will carry on happily reporting everything you're up to...
[/QUOTE]

Read More: hexus.net (via slashdot.org)

You dont have to have been in contact with them, you can do it via any Gamertag on a leaderboard.

I think its a cool feature to be honest.

To have your privacy breached?

Its as simple as disconnecting from Live.

Exactly.

If someone is so concerned about their "privacy" they should just sign out of Live.

I like it since I can check on a friend that I want to invite to game or chat and if I see it listing his status as watching a movie, I know I probably shouldn't disturb him.


Really, sign out of Live if its that big a deal.

You can turn on privacy settings so it dosn't show.

Well, let's see. This guy has two options, he can:

a) Unplug his network cable.

Try doing his job while he's at work. Poor him, he has to play a game... *sob*.

So I care if it says I am playing Hexic ?

hell no.

Do I care if it says I am watching a movie

Hell no.



It cant say anything I care about so whats the problem.

Its a fun feature, when my brother is online i can see what he is doing, if he is playing a game, i tend not to disturb him etc...


There are far more things to be worried about when it comes to privacy, this is nothing compaired to some crap.

Store Cards, bio-metric passports, Credit cards etc etc etc...

The term "Big Brother" is not refering to reality television on CBS.

Some of you fail to see the point behind the argument. The Xbox360 is essentially functioning as an Orwellian telescreen.

Peronally i don't care if everyone sees what i am doing on my 360. just a disgruntled employee upset that his boss, (and anyone else for that matter), can see when he is looking at porn at the office.

This article has no merit since you can very easily edit the privacy settings and tell live exactly what you want to be shown...if anything about what your doing on live. Some people really need to stop being so paranoid. Shit even if it said Segaman is currently watching Black Anal Initiations 6 i woudlnt care lol.

So someone can see what games I'm playing. Who cares....

Exactly. The article seems to be a result of boredom in relation to Xbox360 stories. There's a lot of strange and melodramatic ones coming out since the shortage and defective units articles dried up. I think the entire industry thought there was going to be more to talk about given this is the first nextgen console launch.

I like the features he's whining about. Just as long as it never says "KinetiX: Off shagging an ugly whale because he was desperate". That may be too personal but feel free to know im looking at pictures on media centre.

People will make a story out of anything.

as stated earlier in this thread you can change it:

when you first bring up the guide click on your gamer card at the top, then choose "edit gamer profile" then go to "privacy settings" and you can set what you want others to be able to see. you can view hide everything from online status (show nothing) to games (don't show what games your playing) and so on...

now is that something to fret about? I don't think so, I actually like the live aware feature

man those guys are fuckin douche-bags, they just added a third page to their "look at how stupid i am" article.



I can't how many people know jack shit about the 360, and complain about shit before they bother to learn.

If there was ever a post on x-scene I felt wasn't any news at all, this is it... It isn't news! I love x-scene's news posts but this isn't news at all. Not only that, but, no offense, you can easilly change the fact it's reporting this. The article makes it sound like any time you're doing anything on the Xbox 360 anyone can find out what it is you're up to. NOT TRUE.

First of all, Live doesn't report even close to 'everything.' Secondly, you can have it not report that you're doing non-gaming tasks... The easiest thing is to simply sign off of Xbox Live.

I also think its a cool feature

Don't really see the problem, who cares if anyone can see what your doing. It's not as if someone is going to get a meesage from xbox live saying :"ocat1979 is currently whacking off to porn" . Ha, ha, that would be pretty funny tho

Why aren't you playing games on company time? BAD BOY! BAD!

An Orwellian telescreen? Now, be honest. Isn't that pushing it a LITTLE bit? It's not invading your privacy, as it has been said NUMEROUS times that it can be turned off. And, if you do have a major problem with someone seeing that you're viewing photos, playing a game, or watching a movie where the title is not revealed, then I have no desire to speak to you or associate myself with you.

I don't own an xbox360... so i can't give a vaild opinion on the subject matter.

It will however be fun to see what opinions change in the future if any when more info is collected about an individual by MS

Will the plot thicken? Only time will tell.

Like what? Your blood type? Height and weight?

OMG, what if they find out what genre of games you like to play? What if they tell everyone on Live that player A spends 60 percent of Xbox360 playing time with First Person Shooters and the other 40 percent playing racing games? Will the world end?

You guys do know you can set the system to show you as not on line whenever you want, right? Go to your Gamer Profile and select Personal Settings->Online Status->Appear Offline.

Yeah something like that... you go boy!

Besides the fact that you can turn on privacy settings anyway, WHY does it matter if they see what general thing you are doing.

I dont care if they see whether I am watching a movie or playing a game.

Now if they saw which movie I was playing, that would be a little scary.


Of course, I am sure Google has 100x the information about you already anyway.

I can't beleive X-S posted this crap. And not even do any research, just post this garbage.

I hope to God it get's edited to report it can EASILY be changed in the dash.

Its a cool feature more than a privacy problem

just because that dumbass couldnt tell that you can see what your friends are doing, and got all fizzled about it doesnt mean its a privacy issue

You may as well say that instant messengers pose a threat to your privacy because anyone can see when youre on your computer and how long youve been online

@_@

anyway, its cool because you can see if youre friends are playing the same game, or what not

It does seem like a cool feature, although I can't really use it yet because I don't have a 360. Although, it would be cool to take that a step farther and show what song you're listening too. And possibly what movie you're watching. MS and Yahoo already have the show what song your listening to in their IM clients.

I was just pointing out what the subject of the article implies. Hey, as long as it doesn't transmit media specific info (aside from games), I don't really care. I can live with people knowing "RandomXBLUser is watching a DVD" but not "RandomXBLUser is watching Asian Assblasters 27."

i think its a kewl feature.. all u have to do i apear offline.. go to personal settings and put urself on apear offline.. simple as that...
hate people bitching about everything nowadays

How is MS playing "Big Brother" in this situation? If everybody has the ability to see what everybody else is doing than that's not MS being "Big Brother". You can bet that MS can, and probably does collect aggregate info, and I'm sure they also have the ability to look at any individual user, but in this instance putting "Big Brother" in the article title is just sensationalism. Big Brother isn't watching you, everybody is watching you.

but if MS puts this much info the public how much are they keeping to themselves?

as for being able to turn it off, ok, so you can, but if this article hadnt been published how many would even know it was on in the first place? thats like me having hidden cameras all over your house, but its ok, you can just unplug them, but if you dont know they are there, then what?

sure, im a conspiracy theorist, but let me raise 2 important questions

1: if they do this much with a video game console, what can and what are they doing in more important areas?

2: you dismiss this as a "cool feature" but whats next? and what will you dismiss that as? and after that? maybe this all just to desensitize people

[/paranoia]

Feeling a little paranoid? Gee -- maybe if I am a total zombie, I won't realize that when I can see info about every other gamer it means they can also see it about me. Jeez, it's not liek this is a hidden feature -- it is a huge selling point for Live.

Read the privacy statement. It clearly states what they can collect and what they will do with it.

MS is such a huge target for lawsuits, that they are far more sensitive to this stuff than most companies. What are you afraid they are gathering and using in some nefarious way?

I'm sorry this is going to sound harsh... but this is about as "Big Brother" as standing up at a concert. You can see what everyone else is doing/playing and you can report people for smoking pot near the mosh pit. but it doesn't do you any good. So who cares?

I really don't think this is a big deal. Disconnect from Live if you're that worried about it! If you ask me Hexus was just looking for an article to write to meet a quota. This article is worthless!

Well said lordvader, Seems like theres many Sheeple in here.

I dont think the point is thats its a secret hidden kidda thing, but more about "us" OPENLY allowing Big-Bro to let them and others see what were doing all the time..
Thats what the TV Big-Bro is all about ... Open Cameras Openly allowed by normal ppl .. the show is just to get us used to the idea...
Every move we make is alredy recorded, stamped and logged through street cams, mobile\cell phones, credit card, store cards digital TV the net\web and so on....

Anyway as this is not the time nor place so i'll stop now... and i know i lot of u may think i'm a nutter but when y'all realise that the shit hit the fan years ago it will be too late...

The Off Button Is Only For Now !!!
Peace

Treu but that doesn't stop LIVE from still seeing what you are doing.....It only stops other amers on the network from seeing you and your stuff NOT LIVE......You really think they would give that up......

I also think it's a very cool feature,it really makes you feel like everyone always connected to each other.