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If you play online games, you may be under surveillance.
Privacy issues may be inherent in the design of the game itself, such as games that require access to your webcam or microphone. Some companies sell any information they collect about you to advertisers, while others collect a lot of data for their own purposes.
1. Camera and microphone access
Many multiplayer games require microphone access to communicate. Especially young children may not realize that the microphone is broadcasting everything they say. If someone happens to be talking about personal information in the room, that information will be transmitted to the person who is listening.
Similarly, many gamers stream their content online to viewers, exposing them to similar risks. If their personal information (such as password or location) can be viewed in the context of the camera or on the desktop while sharing the screen, this may be stolen and abused.
2. Location tracking
Certain games (such as Pokemon Go) track your true location and sometimes sell this information to advertisers. For example, if you visit a clothing store and the game notices this, it can tell advertisers to start showing you clothing ads for that store. If you disagree, this in itself is an invasion of privacy, but if the same data is leaked due to a security breach, the harm will be even more serious. You can alleviate these two problems by turning off location tracking.For example, Ubisoft, which owns the Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy franchise, says it respects privacy and security, but the company can record your gaming habits at any time. They can also record your location and the amount you spend in the game.
