As most of you know stars today prohibited the use of sharkscope. This is part of a stars email response:

Hello Michael,

Thank you for contacting us.

Our Game Security Dept. is able to recognize players, who are using
SharkScope, similar like Bot-Users. Players are not permitted to use
SharkScope while the PokerStars client is running.

So I am assuming that stars has/uses their ability to see what youre browsing. I personally think that is **cked up. Dont mind so much the sharkscope thing, but I am really concerned that they are able to know what sites I visit on my computer. Thoughts?

lmao u cant use sharkscope? just wow

Though I subscribe to ss, i dont care that its gone.

I AM much more concerned that stars has access to what I do on my computer away from playing poker. Can it check to see what porn Ive viewd, my bank info, my email password???

I think this is outrageous.

ever heard of the porno doomswitch?

I believe they can, while the client is running, take what amounts to screen shots so they can check what else you are doing. I dont think they actually take the log files from IE/Firefox. Collecting logs files from potentially multiple browsers wouldnt be full proof because those can be empties and are stored in different locations.

They just take screen shots and try to see bot programs and such, so if they happened to see sharkscope on the screen they'd have a problem with it i guess.

but then you'd be looking at them as well?

Pretty sure they don't take screenshots, they do however monitor what processes are running and probably check your browser history. While it is a little concerning, I do trust Pokerstars' security and would rather have them checking for bots. You agree to their terms, if you don't like it don't play there.

yea, to all of you who are surprised, i'm pretty sure all the major poker sites do this, so either get used to it or don't play. and i was also under the impression they're just checking processes not taking screenshots but i don't really know.

While I understand the concern I admit I'm surprised people are surprised.
I would have thought this is fairly common knowledge or intuitive by now.

I'm fine with them taking screenshots or whatever... imo you shouldn't expect any more privacy than walking into a casino.

Walking into a casino somehow allows them to know my gay porn browsing history?

These.

I'm pretty sure someone on 2+2 had problems a couple of years ago with a poker room after they had browsed a bot site. IIRC it was resolved amicably in the end, and I really don't recall what site it was, but the point is that this is nothing new.

I don't think anyone has to worry about screenshots, though.

It's no mystery that you browse gay porn when you walk in ANY establishment.

Big deal. We all agreed to tis and more when we signed up.

What troubles me, however, is the possibility that I may inadvertently click on some link the site doesn't like and end up losing my account and funds. I'm sure they don't intend this, but it's certianly possible and it's not like I have the option of mediation as their decision is final.

That said, if they're smart they'll be cool about this because they don't wantto run off players.

But people here expecting privacy on the interwebs? LOL.

How is it ok for them to be taking screenshots in the days of online banking, among other very personal things? I don't want somebody in another country coming across a screenshot of my online banking information.