Granted, so are cell phones. So not sure what I’m trying to say. I’ve strayed to far from factual information into the dystopian nonsense I was trying to avoid.
No one is asking anyone to do that. It’s called “an option to run the OS if you don’t have a phone.”
Do you not understand how the app works or emulators? It’s a way to run an OS. The app is absolutely Blizzard’s. So what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense.
Yes, again, I strayed into personal bias on information collection etc… so good day to you. I got what I came for. I can still say “Ima scrub.” Thanks again.
Imagine still not having an authenticator in 2021.
OP we’ll see you over in the CS forums whining when your account gets compromised and you have to wait for a GM to fix it for you.
…for an additional fee of course…I am not paying an extra 10 dollars a month just so you can NOT spam ads at me.
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Ah, I don’t watch a lot of TV so I wasn’t sure about that.
I use the iPhone version. In iOS you can set permissions to deny the app access to things it doesn’t need.
so install it on your phone.
you’re making a giant to do about nothing.
and, honestly (this isn’t directed the person I responded to)
if the game loses a couple paranoid tinfoil hat types who refuse out of some silly, stubborn nonsense to use two factor authentication, the overall gain to the rest of us counteracts that.
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I don’t have a cell phone. I have an app for basic texts and a land line. Most use cell phones. That’s fine. I just wanted to know if my game experience was significantly changing. Period.
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Any software that makes any connection to any external system is a potential exploit location. Including, but not limited to:
Phone
Messages
Email
Chrome/FF/Safari/Other
Pictures
So yes, every piece of software (every stupid one) is a possible way into your pocket computer.
There is no more risk to installing an authenticator than there is to installing the GMAIL app.
Don’t the physical authenticators still work? If you had one at least. I know they stopped producing/“selling” them. But I thought they still worked at least.
Because wouldn’t that be a viable alternative for things, especially since some of ya’ll seem super security minded so you must have had one of those.
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Link it. I’d be open to it.
The effort I’m willing to put in to a video game is limited, especially when there’s so much competition.
Actually, nvm. I wouldn’t go through that extra step to play a video game.
I don’t think even Blizzard knows or cares.
I understand your concern about Blizzard harvesting your personal data from an authenticator, and this change does limit your ability to do something you could normally do beforehand. Many people are going to disagree with you, but you do have some points. This change will certainly bother players who do not use authenticators for whatever reason, which definitely makes it controversial.
For you, personally, one way around this change is to have someone else in your group with an authenticator post your group in LFG for you, along with whatever text you want. That everything can still go on mostly as before, and you can avoid having to use an authenticator. It’s not an ideal solution, but it’s certainly the simplest.
Regarding Mobile Authenticators, they’re certainly very secure in a general sense; at least, Blizzard’s is. I do not believe Blizzard collects much, or any, information from their Authenticator App. (Blizzard collects a lot of information pertaining to you logging in and logging out especially, but none of that is taken from their Authenticator App.) In fact, actually, any information Blizzard would collect from their Authenticator App would be totally redundant, since they already collect so much data just from you playing the game normally.
No, they do not collect your phone number from your mobile authenticator. That can be taken, though, from your billing address, credit card, etc.
If you are concerned about the information Blizzard has of you on file, you can request a copy of your data at: https://us.battle.net/support/en/help/product/services/1327
It is a free service, and usually takes only a few days to come back. It might be interesting to see what they keep on file and for how long regarding your account.
Anyway, I hope some of this was helpful for you. I’m sorry that you feel limited in your regard of what you’re going to be able to do. Maybe the information I posted will slightly persuade you to give an authenticator a try, since Blizzard already has most of that information about you on file already. But, if not, there’s still a (admittedly inconvenient) workaround available.
Best of luck!
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If you understand then explain it to me. You already give Blizzard your personal data and CREDIT CARD NUMBER every month. Why would the authenticator be a bigger concern than that??
Yea, because a majority of ppl now use an Authenticator and don’t get hacked
Who reminders : You got cell phones. They will never learn.
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I think the main point the OP is trying to make is that there’s going to be a limitation on their ability to do something in game. Before, the bonus of having an Authenticator was receiving extra bag space and a cool pet. Now it’s going to be having the ability to create custom text and the like in certain premade group channels, which was a standard feature for everyone until now (or soon-to-be now). They don’t feel like it’s their fault for this, and it isn’t: it’s the fault of bots creating WTS groups.
Personally, I use the Blizzard Authenticator App and I use 2FA for a bunch of other services. It’s always worked fine for me, and I don’t have much of a concern about any additional data harvesting because these services already pick up plenty of data just from me using them normally anyway. But some people are more cautious, and that’s their right. I don’t have an issue with that.
In regards though to the credit card thing, actually I think you can just pay via Blizzard gift cards you buy with cash or through PayPal or another payment type. I’m not super sure, but I think you can avoid giving too much information that way. I’m not an expert though!
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