Ubisoft in-game data collection GDPR complaint (2025): Difference between revisions
I’d rather that short title. This is an incident article after all. |
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[[Ubisoft]] forces | [[Ubisoft]] forces users to be connected to the internet, even in single-player games, and collects data without consent nor prior notice. | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
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==Consumer Response== | ==Consumer Response== | ||
Near the end of September 2024, an anonymous user of Ubisoft | Near the end of September 2024, an anonymous user of Ubisoft noticed that they could not launch a single-player video game that he owned without first connecting to the internet. He also noticed that the data controller was collecting data about him during his gaming session<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Laurent |first=Alexandre |date=2025-04-25 |title=Mandatory connection for single-player games: Ubisoft sued for non-compliance with the GDPR |url=https://next.ink/182331/connexion-obligatoire-pour-jeux-solo-ubisoft-poursuivi-pour-non-respect-du-rgpd/ |url-status=live}}</ref>. | ||
[[File:NOYB lawsuit.png|alt=NOYB's lawsuit with the 13 and 14 article. Relevant information are highlighted.|thumb|NOYB's lawsuit with the 13 and 14 article. Relevant information are highlighted.]] | [[File:NOYB lawsuit.png|alt=NOYB's lawsuit with the 13 and 14 article. Relevant information are highlighted.|thumb|NOYB's lawsuit with the 13 and 14 article. Relevant information are highlighted.]] | ||
The complainant, who is “tech-savvy” according to [[NOYB]], simultaneously monitors the network traffic associated with Far Cry Primal and finds that his game is sending packets to remote servers. He mentions 150 connections in the space of ten minutes and identifies Google, Amazon, and Datadog<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=NOYB |date=2025-04-24 |title=Like to play alone? Ubisoft is still watching you! |url=https://noyb.eu/en/play-alone-ubisoft-still-watching-you |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NOYB |first=NOYB |date=2025-04-24 |title=Lawsuit PDF |url=https://noyb.eu/sites/default/files/2025-04/Ubisoft_complaint_EN_redacted.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>. | The complainant, who is “tech-savvy” according to [[NOYB]], simultaneously monitors the network traffic associated with Far Cry Primal and finds that his game is sending packets to remote servers. He mentions 150 connections in the space of ten minutes and identifies Google, Amazon, and Datadog<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=NOYB |date=2025-04-24 |title=Like to play alone? Ubisoft is still watching you! |url=https://noyb.eu/en/play-alone-ubisoft-still-watching-you |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=NOYB |first=NOYB |date=2025-04-24 |title=Lawsuit PDF |url=https://noyb.eu/sites/default/files/2025-04/Ubisoft_complaint_EN_redacted.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>. | ||
But before asking [[NOYB]], the data subject contacted the controller’s customer support | But before asking [[NOYB]], the data subject contacted the controller’s customer support, asking about his findings and that they tell him why are they using his personal data. Unfortunately, Ubisoft did not answer completely to his question, only saying that his data is collected to verify ownership of the game and never mentions why Google is one of the third parties. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||