I understand the need for developers to know more about the hardware and software running on their client machines. For example, I believe information like the hardware survey from Valve [1] are very valuable for the whole industry.
But there's a some kind of an etiquette you need to follow, if a company wishes to collect data:
- Be straightforward. Say what information you are collecting, at what time and what for.
- Tell me in what way this information will be stored and how will it be anonymized.
- Will the data be stored forever? And is there a way for me to request the data or it's deletion?
- Don't collect data per default. Make it opt-in.
- Publicize the data in a suitable way. It may be useful to others.
Wacom simply ignored all of that human decency. How can you ever trust this company again?
But there's a some kind of an etiquette you need to follow, if a company wishes to collect data:
- Be straightforward. Say what information you are collecting, at what time and what for.
- Tell me in what way this information will be stored and how will it be anonymized.
- Will the data be stored forever? And is there a way for me to request the data or it's deletion?
- Don't collect data per default. Make it opt-in.
- Publicize the data in a suitable way. It may be useful to others.
Wacom simply ignored all of that human decency. How can you ever trust this company again?
[1] https://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey