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SKY POKER SOFTWARE and Sharkscope
Si_Pies
Member Posts: 11
I have been playing online poker for sometime accross various sites.
Apart from my misgivings regarding how random this sites software really is or isnt in relation to how much you bank or dont is one thiing, but i was made aware of something quite concerning earlier today.
YOUR ACCOUNT WINS AND LOSSES AND BUY INS ARE VIEWABLE BY OTHERS.
Whilst playing a cash game i was informed by another player that he knew exactly how much i had won/lost in on SKY POKER since November.
He messaged in the chat box in view of everyone the exact amount.
When i asked how i knew this is said " SHARKSCOPE".
After investigating this software via Google, it seems it is an illegal software/site that gives out a whole array of sensitive information about players of all kinds of Poker and gambling sites.
YET, SKY POKER claim to be one of the most secure sites and claim also that YOUR DETAILS are both secure and private. CLEARLY NOT!
Having spoken to a friend of mine that is a Barrister, he seems to think that SKY are liable for any and all private and sensitive information held about players. Including monetary depositis and withdrawals.
Data Protection Laws are also questionably infringed.
I intend to seek legal advice and have also been advised to write to the office of Fair Trading and the Government Department for Licensing.
What are you're thoughts regarding the lack of security on SKY?
Apart from my misgivings regarding how random this sites software really is or isnt in relation to how much you bank or dont is one thiing, but i was made aware of something quite concerning earlier today.
YOUR ACCOUNT WINS AND LOSSES AND BUY INS ARE VIEWABLE BY OTHERS.
Whilst playing a cash game i was informed by another player that he knew exactly how much i had won/lost in on SKY POKER since November.
He messaged in the chat box in view of everyone the exact amount.
When i asked how i knew this is said " SHARKSCOPE".
After investigating this software via Google, it seems it is an illegal software/site that gives out a whole array of sensitive information about players of all kinds of Poker and gambling sites.
YET, SKY POKER claim to be one of the most secure sites and claim also that YOUR DETAILS are both secure and private. CLEARLY NOT!
Having spoken to a friend of mine that is a Barrister, he seems to think that SKY are liable for any and all private and sensitive information held about players. Including monetary depositis and withdrawals.
Data Protection Laws are also questionably infringed.
I intend to seek legal advice and have also been advised to write to the office of Fair Trading and the Government Department for Licensing.
What are you're thoughts regarding the lack of security on SKY?
Comments
Happy New Year to you too
First up, I've edited the original post title in my capacity as a Mod, I felt it was misleading.
Secondly in answer to your post:
Sharkscope is a data-mining site. It collects tournament result data (not cash games) from the vast majority of poker sites. It collects results and produces them for public display (a small codicil to this is one major site requires an 'opt in' by the player to reveal all of their information, some is shown anyway).
In reference to the Data Protection act: There are no details shown on Sharkscope regarding deposits/withdrawals. There is no link between your online alias and your real life name (unless you release this yourself). There is no contravention with the data protection act. What you are putting forward would be like saying that a Newspaper shouldn't announce the prizemoney a tennis player has made in their career, it's all public information and not in anyway illegal.
In answer to your final question, I am quite happy with the security on Sky. If you have any further questions please feel free to PM me.
Football results are reported on the TV, online and in newspapers. Poker tournament results are reported on Sharkscope, there's not much difference, you cannot hide the result of a competition that's played out in public and is open to anybody to enter.
It's very easy to have your results hidden on Sharkscope if you so wish, see their FAQ section to see how to do this.
If the amounts are not specific, then how is this info so accurate??? This guy was on a cash table that i was on earlier......please xplain how this works as i am not altogether comfortable with the whole security issue of SKY and its process of holding sensitive information securely?
Surely you can see where my concern might arise from.
I still think it wise to take formal advice from a legal source perhaps
No problem....i will get him to do just that.
Good Luck in your games in 2013...i hope your luck changes
You'll have to get your legal experts to take a look at me too, I publish some of this 'sensitive information' in the Tournament Results Thread on this very forum lol.
Hi Si,
All the answers are in the thread.
To summarise:
Sky Poker do NOT pass ANY information to Sharkscope. Not a jot, iota or tickle.
Sharkscope is a data-mining site.
Sharkscope cannot, & does not, track cash game profits or losses.
Sharkscope is not an illegal site.
Sharkscope figures are far from 100% reliable.
Sharkscope's T & C prohibit their information being improperly used, as in using it to abuse others.
Sharkscope do NOT know how much any player deposits or withdraws on this or any other site.
You can "hide" your results on Sharkscope simply by ticking a box.
The gentleman who claimed to know how much you had won or lost on Sky Poker in November was telling porkies. (Translation - he was lying). He does NOT. Probably best to question the motives of a complete stranger who makes such a spurious claim.
The Thread Title was not changed by Sky Poker, it was changed by a Moderator. I don't even know what the thread title was, but we can assume it was non-compliant.
Sharkscope is a very odd animal, & I'm not sure many Online Sites approve of the fact they they effectively take info from the domain & resell it for profit, but that's how it works. They collect & sell freely available information. This is EXACTLY what the Press Association do with sports results.
Data Protection is a very serious matter, & it is wholly respected by Sky Poker. I am in my 7th year with Sky Poker, & I don't have "back office" access, nor will I ever have it.
It serms to me that you have a beef with Sharkscope, rather than Sky Poker.
PS - Happy New Year to you.
If you play on other sites using different names or even the same name, you will also have to opt out of those too as sharkscope collate result from many other poker sites too.
SKY does not give out Personal Data to these types of sites or how much you have spent on the site or any other poker site for that matter. It only shows/collates your MTT & SnG results (NOT CASH)
The information that Sky show, and the fact that you are shown on the site as an alias, means they are not contravening the data protection act.
If you are bothered by it then just go to sharkscope and OPT OUT.
Sky facebook page (I believe) is 'open' for anyone to view and a trend that i have noticed more and more is for competitions where they ask for your 'sky alias' if you wish to enter them. Therefore, we have a situation where most people use their real name on facebook so the 'fb name' and 'sky alias' are married up on the same comment field.
Should this be encouraged ? or reviewed ?.........I only wish to point out a potential problem or concern that could cause someone embarrassment........
What problem could this cause?
Quite a useful tool actually, not so much for skypoker-exclusive players though i guess.