Epic Games Launcher spying on users via Steam file data?

R

Ranulfo

2[H]4U
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Feb 9, 2006
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Uh, this does not look good. Epic launcher might be taking data from users' steam id files, spying on their game playtime and friends lists.

https://www.resetera.com/threads/de...llect-your-steam-friends-play-history.105385/

https://metacouncil.com/threads/epic-game-store-spyware-tracking-and-you.766/

"Here's my findings on this topic, I also posted to ResetEra.

But I tried to replicate those and found out that Epic Games Launcher on start up searches for Steam install
and proceeds to get list of files in your Steam Cloud (this includes mostly game saves for every user that has logged in on your PC)

Steam Cloud is stored under userdata\[account id]\ if you wanna check

It will also create encrypted copy of config\localconfig.vdf.
This file contains your steam friends, their name history (groups you're part of, are considered "friends").

It seems friends might be used for friends suggestions, but I don't even use that feature and it collects more than that.

While it's called "localhistory" it is synced from cloud

It will read, encrypt and then write copy to: C:\ProgramData\Epic\SocialBackup\RANDOM HEX CODE_STEAM ACCOUNT ID.bak
It will also keep historical entries there."
 
Armenius said:
Why can't they just be like web browsers and ask first?

Yet another reason I'll never install this POS on my PC.
Click to expand...

That's what happens when a company takes Chinese money. Tencent want as much data as possible and could careless if the Epic brand is ruined in the process.
 
its a good find but should I care they have a bunch of my steam friends gamer names? they'll probably get a chuckle out of some of them. I'm talking about you legendary 90s eurodance DJ. and you can already look up anyones steam name and see what games they play.
 
Gamers: I won't install Epic's store because (among other things) I don't want to install another launcher unless I can share friends lists between them.
Also Gamers: Epic's store is spying on my Steam friends list!
 
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