While the debate continues on the maliciousness of the adware / spyware capabilities of EA's newly released Battlefield 2142 game, it seems that Australian gamers and consumers have not been informed of its targeted in-game ad serving functionality like other BF 2142 buyers have around the world.
A Kotaku news item reports of an Australian gamer who noted that their purchase of BF 2142 did not include the paper slip detailing the advertising technology (as seen here), and as the news item touches on, it does bring forth the question whether Australian law requires software companies to disclose a notice when adware / spyware software is installed or when there is a potential for information (such as I.P addresses that could identify persons) to be harvested.
More details and a huge picture of a kangaroo over at Kotaku...
We possibly didn't get the spyware because the advertisers didn't give diddly about the local markets here? Or maybe our laws just suck.
That's soooo funny. Harvesting IPs. I guess they don't know how online multiplayer games work :)
Here's a link to the 2005 Spyware Bill for software to "require the clear disclosure to computer users of certain computer software features that may pose a threat to user privacy, and for related purposes"...
<a href="http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/PIWeb/view_document.aspx?id=1973&tabl…">http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/PIWeb/view_document.aspx?id=1973&tabl…;