Well This'll Be Interesting...

Outrage abound! Gamers are pissed again, this time in relation to their credit cards. Warranted? Possibly. Only time will tell.

I Gave Them My Information Too...:

Earlier today a huge story broke on NeoGAF and Cheap Ass Gamer about suspicious activity on the part of the Entertainment Consumers Association.

The story has reached the gaming masses, with tons of similar articles running on sites like the Consumerist, Kotaku, CAG and many others.

Now, what did the ECA do exactly? They changed their cancellation policy. Instead of the online de-registration link (that they say never worked) people now have to send in certified snail mail to ensure that they are no longer members of the orginization.

The real problem here is that the ECA also automatically charges a $20 yearly fee and can, and will, update your credit card information to make sure they get your money.

What really intrigues me about this situation (other than the fact that I may get charged a year or so from now) is how quickly the information spread. Everything went viral in what must have been an hour or less. The actual problem was made public yesterday, but once the information reached a more visited corner of the internet it spread ridiculously fast.

A lot of gamers are understandably angry at the possibility of having to jump through so many hoops to cancel their subscription to an organization that they now deem 'shady'. And while the organization also has my information, I am personally going to with hold judgement for at least a short while.

Yes, I am a little peeved that the ECA made this move, but before I grab a pitchfork and the torches, I, for one, am willing to give them a chance to rectify the matter. All the bad publicity is bound to cause some changes, and at the least, maybe I'll be able to un-subscribe by phone or through their website again.

Quote of the Day:

"I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers."

-Gandhi