Why use the AXS mobile app for Blizzcon when it's proven spyware?

Community General Discussion
21

remember blizzards focus is on mobile now bringing all their franchises to mobile this mite be the reason for the app push they want all your info.

blizzard mobile inc.

5 Likes
22

If you’re this worried about it, you should probably disable your Bluetooth radio too. (Forever, mind you.)

7 Likes
23

na just dont go or get a pre paid phone and leave your real phone home…nothing blizzard can do about you using a pre paid…lol.

24

“Don’t worry, other companies are also doing bad things.” – some green

23 Likes
25

Bluetooth makes it easier to “take” data without your consent. I thought you were worried about your data?

Are you gonna follow through?

3 Likes
26

I use an MP3 player in my car, Internet Tough Guy. The only thing they can datamine is my bad taste in music.

Your initial argument is still as stupid as before.

21 Likes
27

It’s still an obfuscation of the original point. “If you think that’s bad, look over here” is effectively what you did.

9 Likes
28

What was my argument? That if you’re worried about stolen data, you should disable Bluetooth as well?

:thinking:

Pretty sure that falls in line with your concerns.

2 Likes
31

I’ve been reading through the AXS Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

I don’t see anywhere where it says they will share your credit card info.

It does say your name, e-mail, browsing patterns, purchases; but it specifically says it only sends payment information to direct clients (as in you used them to purchase tickets from another party).

Not saying that all the info sharing is good, but it does seem pretty standard for most mobile apps.

5 Likes
32

Kid, like I said before, I don’t use bluetooth on my phone. I don’t have a bluetooth radio (unless you count my car stereo, which, again, I don’t use to connect to my phone). Bluetooth is not a part of my daily life.

6 Likes
33

“You.” Sure.

And everyone else? Seems rather narrow-sighted.

If we’re trying to “inform” other people, making it all about you is rather silly.

2 Likes
34

Thank you for taking the time to express your concerns about other data mining issues that exist in the world.

Do you have an opinion about the AXS app?

4 Likes
35

Exactly this.

People need to stop believing everything they read on Reddit. Just because some random salty person calls it spyware, doesn’t mean it’s spyware.

Is it a crappy app? Sure. Is it spyware? Absolutely not. Please learn the definition of spyware before using the term.

Here, let me help you with that, OP:

Spyware is software that is installed on a computing device without the end user’s knowledge. Any software can be classified as spyware if it is downloaded without the user’s authorization. It is installed in a computer without the user’s knowledge and transmits information about the user’s computer activities over the Internet.

10 Likes
36

If you are just now figuring how mobile apps work, I’m going to laugh all the way to the WoW client.

4 Likes
37

Nah. they don’t want scalpers making money off them. My tin foil hat anyway

2 Likes
39

You should not have to be tracked during an expo. You also should not be given access to photos, videos, camera, contacts etc. The fact that apps request this and sometimes do it without your consent is the issue here. Blizzard is using a third party that basically can scrap your phone of every bit of identifiable info.

Know why you are getting all these spam emails and phone calls? It is because a stupid friend of yours has given access to their phone to an app like AXS.

If you go to Blizzcon you should not use the app or your phone under any circumstance and instead go to the help desk when you get there and just tell them your phone is a company phone and you can t install apps on it.

I was hoping there would not be a scandal this year like last year. Don t share your phone data. If this was a Blizzard app I would be glad to install it but not a third party that you have no control over who they resell this information.

And to the people who say that other apps like Facebook etc are already doing this well just remember that not all people with phones are idiots and not everybody has Facebook and other apps tracking you. If you are serious about maintaining some privacy then you shouldn t accept this sort of thing.

Imagine if your daughter has pictures of herself naked on her phone for herself to look at (for whatever reason) and that you know now that an app is accessing her photos and uploading them to a thrid party server for “marketing” reasons. How would that make you feel? This is why you don t install apps that scrape your phone

8 Likes
41

People still think mobiles are secure?

1 Like
42

I don’t mind it more than some folks, but certainly more than the majority. The data they sell to other companies is no more excessive than what Blizzard gets from simply creating an account and using their servers to play their games.

I don’t appreciate my data being sold. I’ll simply keep my phone’s radios turned off unless I’m trying to find friends. (I’ll just call them like I did in previous years)

1 Like
43

People saying this isnt spyware because they told us what it does are missing the point entirely…

6 Likes
44

Took a glance at the AXS App permissions… It’s… Bad. Spyware level bad.

Contacts

read your contacts

Location

approximate location (network-based)
precise location (GPS and network-based)

Camera

take pictures and videos

Wi-Fi connection information

view Wi-Fi connections

Other

receive data from Internet
view network connections
pair with Bluetooth devices
full network access
prevent device from sleeping
view network connections
read battery statistics
pair with Bluetooth devices
access Bluetooth settings
full network access
run at startup
control vibration
prevent device from sleeping
modify system settings

Wow. So the bluetooth permissions are going to be used to track you as you walk around the event. There will be bluetooth beacons hidden in places and your phone will detect them and the app will know where in the venue you are located even if your GPS is off. The same goes for Wifi Connections at key locations at the Venue. This is fairly common for medium and large venues. It gives the venue information on what was popular, how long people stayed in various areas, etc. But just because it is common doesn’t mean this type of tracking is “ok”, especially when that information is given out to companies that are not hosting the even. Most people have no idea this happens or how common it is.

The “Adjust System Settings” permission allows it to do things like… Turn on your GPS, turn on your wifi, turn on your bluetooth. Run at startup ensures it’s background services will be up and running at all times, which can be used for tracking. Full network Access allows the app to send all of the tracking information out to the internet, including a list of every one of your contacts, your location history since the app was installed, the history of what wifi networks were in range since the app was installed, and your history of all of the bluetooth beacons placed around the event that you walked in range of.

Edit 1: The Full Network Access Permission is listed twice, which is odd. Additionally, you don’t need “receive data from the internet” when you have “Full Network Access”.

Edit 2: Blizzard… seriously what’s going on here? Of all the ticket apps you choose the worst one with the most tracking?

Edit 3: [Blue Post here]/you_need_to_have_a_phone_to_attend_blizzcon_this/emfswea/) says you can use the “Solutions Desk” if something is preventing you from using the App. I suggest using the Solutions Desk!

Edit 4: Final edit for today, I’m going to bed. I did some searching around and found numerous articles about what the app takes, and who it sends it to. In short, the most thorough [write-up]I found in about 30 minutes of searching states that the app scrapes of ton of data from your phone, including your first and last name, precise location (as determined by GPS, WiFi, and other means), how often the app is used, what content is viewed using the app, which ads are clicked, what purchases are made (and not made), a user’s personal advertising identifier, IP address, operating system, device make and model, billing address, credit card number, security code, mailing address, phone number, and email address. It doesn’t say that it also takes your contacts but it would be trivial to do so. AXS’s privacy statement says that they share/sell the information with a LOT of other companies (more details in the article I linked).

Edit 5: /u/Raytraced421 posted an [excerpt of the Privacy Policy]. Take a look at his post to read the whole section of what is taken and who it is sent to. The Privacy Policy mirrors what is stated in [the article I linked]in Edit 4. They disguise their intentions as being useful to the user, example: Show you discounts in a food court at your venue, but if you look past the PR they say that they are tracking your every move and share that with third parties, including personal identifying information. They also state that they save a profile on you and add to it as you use the app.

DO NOT INSTALL THE APP, GO TO THE SOLUTIONS DESK.

12 Likes