#0 - July 7, 2010, 5:09 a.m.
I encourage you to immediately remove all aspects of the RealID System that divulge a user's real name to anyone, regardless of whether or not that user would authorize the system to do so, to include aspects already in place.
US Military Servicemembers have long purchased, supported, and enjoyed the games and the gaming community that Activision Blizzard has developed. Most have done so since they were children, prior to even joining the military. It is likely they will continue to do so as military personnel are some of the most avid gamers I have ever met. In my eyes, they have more than earned the right to be able to use their leisure time as they please, in accordance with US Law and the UCMJ, and have a guarantee of privacy and safety in whatever that choice may be.
However, military personnel are also trained and held responsible for operational and personal security. It is a fact that instances have occurred in which United States military personnel and/or members of their families have been targeted, captured, tortured, and killed based on an adversary discovering personally identifiable information beginning with the simple name of a serviceman or servicewoman. This is especially prevalent when US Soldiers are deployed to overseas locations, from which they have often had access to both your games and the additional services you have provided to your customerbase.
I have drafted a letter to the Georgia State Senators, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, Carl Levin and John McCain, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Michael Mullen; CC'd to Robert Kotick, CEO Activision Blizzard.
I will encourage those to whom the letter is drafted to write to Robert Kotick and the entire Board of Directors for Activision Blizzard recommending the removal of all aspects of the RealID system that would divulge a user's real name to anyone, regardless of whether or not the user would authorize the system to do so.
I will encourage those to whom the letter is drafted to use the example of the RealID concept as a case study in helping to determine how much Federal regulation of the Internet is necessary for the best interest of consumers and the citizens of the United States (of which more US Persons have participated in Activision Blizzard games than are residents of some states).
I will encourage those to whom the letter is drafted to quickly put forth a Resolution or Bill, if such does not already exist, making it against US Law for a corporation to create or enforce a policy such that a US Servicemember (who is also a user, licensee, or consumer of said corporation's services) would be required to make available their real name or any other personally identifiable information to other users, licensees, or consumers of the same service in order to participate in any aspect provided by that service, including those aspects deemed "optional." I will encourage them to extend this same guarantee of protection to all US Persons. If any US Law currently exists that already provides this or a similar level of protection, I will encourage them to inform Activision Blizzard of the extent of such provisions.
I will encourage those to whom the letter is drafted to immediately begin a program training US Servicemen about the dangers of making available personally identifiable information in an online environment.
I encourage you to seriously consider the implications of your actions. I will be priority mailing the final draft of this letter very, very Soon.
Very Respectfully,
PlaneShaper
