Re. the eula privacy comments - Blizzards legal division will have done their homework on this.
Blizz don't wipe their arse without getting legal advice, always err on the side of caution and often customise wow in different regions to avoid potential legal issues, - e.g. removing the animal related event quests (for brewmaster? can't remember) in EU on legal advice to maintain their PG(13?) rating (ROFL)
I guess their take is that using the forums is voluntary... You can choose to reveal your name if you want to.
I'm dead against this change, its one of the stupidest decisions I've ever heard come out of a major game developer with a big user base. Justifying it with the TROLLS argument is bollocks. Trolls will be trolls. If Trolls are a problem then moderate. If trolls keep trolling then ban em, and ban em for longer periods or permanently.
What I thinks happened here is that Blizzard's legal bods are trying to reduce the risk of legal action as a result of someone's precious snowflake reading something about mommy penispooperfucking or something racist / terroristy etc in a troll thread.
Blizz dont want to hands on moderate the forums, Moderation costs money and the more they moderate the more 'common carrier' responsibility they take for the content on the forums.
The forums are a luxury item to wow players, and a necessary evil to blizzard, they cost more than they earn and will never be monetized.
By introducing REALID they reduce the potential for legal problems / costs and their hosting and staffing costs.
Reckon that blizzard will backtrack on this given the shitstorm and bad PR thats starting? they're even getting a mention in mainstream press now, WSJ etc. Can't have mommy reading her newspaper / watching the TV and finding out that her precious snowflakes privacy is at stake...
If parental controls are ENABLED you won't be able to post on the new REALID forums.
Nancylols
Did some more snooping and found out that
Mathew Nancy Stokes works at the "Rainbow Happy Funtime Sauna and Lounge", in Milton Keynes, UK. (Tuesday and Wednesday nights only).
It's always happy hour at the Rainbow Happy Funtime Sauna and Lounge.