Character name can't be hidden.

[Kraggy]

I'm absolutely opposed to this. I'm a diehard advocate of privacy and anonymity in all facets of the internet, and forcing people to reveal information they want to keep private is never acceptable. If people want to share such information, that's their right, but requiring it for everyone is intolerable. If this goes through as stated then the 27th will be my last log in here.

Making this kind of ludicrous argument, that toons in a video game have anything to do with personal privacy, is why most think people arguing as you do are nuts.

Privacy is a BIG DEAL on the Internet .. and has nothing whatsoever to do with characters one rents in a video game.

[Tsukino_Kaji]

Making this kind of ludicrous argument, that toons in a video game have anything to do with personal privacy, is why most think people arguing as you do are nuts.

Privacy is a BIG DEAL on the Internet .. and has nothing whatsoever to do with characters one rents in a video game.

This.
Except for the toon thing. WoW, no thanks.

[Runespider]

Privacy is a BIG DEAL on the Internet .. and has nothing whatsoever to do with characters one rents in a video game.

The game and the forum are two seperate entities, some would like to keep it that way. The point is people want them to be seperate so why should they not allowed to be able to keep them seperate, whatever the reason.

The stupid part is that the people that are finding this a bad thing are not the trolls, they are just the normal posters. Trolls don't give a sh**.

[Daremo]

Since you seem to have not gotten it the first time:

Information I want kept private = Information I want kept private, whatever it's nature.

What you think of the value of that information is irrelevant. It's not your decision to make, nor should it be SE's. Nor ultimately will it. It'll be my decision to to log in or not, and currently that's reading 'not'.

[Tsukino_Kaji]

The game and the forum are two seperate entities

This forum is inexorably linked with the game, just because you're not playing the forum with your character, dose not mean that they are seperate entities. Same coin and all.

[Karbuncle]

Since you seem to have not gotten it the first time:

Information I want kept private = Information I want kept private, whatever it's nature.

What you think of the value of that information is irrelevant. It's not your decision to make, nor should it be SE's. Nor ultimately will it. It'll be my decision to to log in or not, and currently that's reading 'not'.

Only to the bold, yes it is. Its not your character. Its Their character, They allow you to use it in exchange for 12.95. however they can do whatever they want with it and you have no say in the matter. Its sad but true.

You see, That's what you agree to the second you log on and click "Accept" to the ToS every time you log on. You own nothing. its not private at all, Its public information if SE so deems it to be. If you even got the slightest hint that this information is yours and should be private you were wrong from the beginning, and SE nor anyone here can be blamed that you thought your character information was yours to decide what to do with.

So the only choice you have in this is of course deciding rather or not you want to log into the forums anymore. And you have all the right in the world to decide not to log on. However your "private" FFXI Character information is not private, its not even yours, Its property of SE. you had not privacy to begin with. it was just the false image of "privacy".

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not calling you stupid or anything, Simply that any illusion you had of your character information being in your control is simply that, an illusion. It was SE's from the beginning and still is.

I understand wanting to remain anonymous. Its just i understand I never have a choice in the matter when it comes to an "Official" forum. Because its run by the people who own your characters. If they decided you had to link your PLayonline ID to be displayed they could. (They wouldn't, but they could). It just comes with the forums.

Not saying you shouldn't be upset, Just saying I currently am not upset by these changes. You yourself are allowed to be however.

[Daremo]

Ownership of MMO character data has never been adequately challenged, that I know of, but related precedents suggest it wouldn't go well for the MMO company (unless you live in China, where it's already been decided the player is the principal owner of character data, ToS or not ToS). But if I actually believed that, I wouldn't play this game at all. It's something of a moot point, since there's not much I could do with the character data without access to SE's servers, which they have every right to deny me access to at any time.

A great many things that are still standard parts of generic ToS agreements have failed to withstand legal challenge, yet they still get put in, in the hopes that you won't know that, and will fail to prod the elements they know are basically indefensible in the event of a dispute.

[Karbuncle]

They own your Character Data and you agree to relinquish any rights to that character when you log on. Regardless of what you just said, You willingly accept what they put in the ToS each time you log on to the game.

They can display information like Character Name, Job, And Server if they wished too. That my only point, and now they're exorcising that right.

Even if it is as you say, Wouldn't any and all "ifs" be dismissed when you willingly agree to accept everything they wrote in the ToS with each log in? I was under the impression its basically a contract between you and them.

Edit: Do you mind citing me some links to past trials where someone has Opposed the ToS related to Character Information like Name and Server being displayed on a Forum? It sounds like you know them.

I'd like to read this kind of thing. Its interesting to me. Either way, I don't feel someone will go to court over this and win, as i don't think "this" situation falls into the grey areas you described. So as you said, yah, kind a moot point.

[Daremo]

They can, obviously. I've never once suggested that they are legally obligated not to display my data, whatever my wishes, but rather that they shouldn't. Note the wording of that previously bolded quote. SE should not be making this decision. I suppose I could have added an 'IMO', but it seemed superfluous at the time.

[Karbuncle]

They can, obviously. I've never once suggested that they are legally obligated not to display my data, whatever my wishes, but rather that they shouldn't. Note the wording of that previously bolded quote. SE should not be making this decision. I suppose I could have added an 'IMO', but it seemed superfluous at the time.

I just didn't expect you to be saying "shouldn't".

because then we agree. in a way. I feel it should not be Mandatory. I'm okay with it either way, I just understand some people aren't.

Also, Links to those trials if you can. I still would like to read them... its a pretty interesting idea someone might have taken an MMO company to court over Forum and/or Character name issues. (I'm a sucker for news articles and stuff related to this)