Battle.net Authenticator Class Action Suit

Courthouse News Service has details on a class action suit filed against Blizzard for consumer fraud, unjust enrichment, negligence, breach of contract and bailment over being asked to pay for an authenticator to secure Battle.net accounts (thanks na p), noting that Blizzard has made $26 million selling these things at $6.40 a pop (apparently their presumption is they are free to manufacture). Here's word:
Bell claims that Activision and Blizzard require gamers to use online accounts at the Battle.net website, which collects and stores customers' private information.

Blizzard puts the onus on gamers to buy additional products or tighten security on their devices, rather than making customer accounts more secure, Bell claims.

"Defendants negligently, deliberately, and/or recklessly fail to ensure that adequate, reasonable procedures safeguard the private information stored on this website. As a result of these acts, the private information of plaintiffs and class members has been compromised and/or stolen since at least 2007," according to the 33-page complaint.

"Most recently, on or about May 19, 2012, reports proliferated that class members' Battle.net accounts had suffered a security breach ('hack') at the hands of unknown parties ('hackers'), and on or about August 4, 2012, hackers massively breached Battle.net's security and acquired the private information of all of defendants' customers in the United States, as well as the remainder of North America, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia."

Though account details for millions of gamers were compromised or stolen, Bell says, neither Activision nor Blizzard took "the legally required steps to alert" gamers.

Bell seeks class damages and an injunction to bar the defendants from "tacking on" undisclosed costs after customers have bought games, and from requiring them to sign up for Battle.net accounts.
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Re: Battle.net Authenticator Class Action Suit
Nov 9, 2012, 09:39
JTW
26.
Re: Battle.net Authenticator Class Action Suit Nov 9, 2012, 09:39
Nov 9, 2012, 09:39
JTW
 
Seriously, if their goal was to make a profit on this, why would they give away a free version and advertise it prominently? The (at or near cost) dongle version is to give people without a smartphone an option. For everyone else, it is free.

No security is perfect, and Blizzard knows this. There exists a third party system that significantly increases security because it isn't at Blizzard - it is sitting on the customer's desk. A hacker would have to be in your living room to get the code.

It isn't 'mandatory' - if you don't want it, you'd still get the same level of security you'd get with any major online service.

Furthermore, this isn't about Blizzard's security, it is about yours. This is a counter to the sheer number of people who were getting their accounts hacked, not through compromises at Blizzard, but through trojans, obvious passwords and similar crappy personal security. This is an extra line of security on the customer's end.
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Re: Battle.net Authenticator Class Action Suit