How deep can PokerStars observe my Computer?

[wrzlbrnft]

Hello, I am from germany and new in this forum.
Since a few weeks I play on pokerstars for leisure. Now I installed the free software "poker strategy Equilab". Few minutes later I got a PopUp and an email from PS, that I am using forbidden software and should stop this immediately. OK, maybe I haven't read all the ToS. Anyway, for me its to complicated to work with this tool, while I am playing Poker.
But my concern is: How deep can PS observe my Computer?
What access do they have on my files?
Any experiences?
Thanks

 

[DS3]

Hello, I am from Germany and new in this forum.
Since a few weeks I play on PokerStars for leisure. Now I installed the free software "Poker Strategy Equilab". Few minutes later I got a PopUp and an email from PS, that I am using forbidden software and should stop this immediately. OK, maybe I haven't read all the ToS. Anyway, for me its to complicated to work with this tool, while I am playing Poker.
But my concern is: How deep can PS observe my Computer?
What access do they have on my files?
Any experiences?
Thanks

wrzlbrnft -

Welcome to the forum.

I can assure I you had a similar incident which made me very uncomfortable. Naturally we all have had experiences when we realize how many sites are following what we do and how we navigate and search the web so that they can pitch advertising in our direction.

However, like you something really out of order happened with PokerStars.

One day I downloaded a simple piece of software to analyze hands. Let me be clear due to timing, I had not even opened the download, let alone entered a single hand for analysis. I simply filed it away for later use. A little later I started to play on PokerStars and got the same message you did- that I was using software against their TOS.

I was outraged. The software had never been opened let alone employed. Obviously, it would appear they could track the download.

In an immediate sense I wanted to fire off a really aggressive email to PokerStars, but told myself to calm down. They hold all the cards and me taking a belligerent attitude would accomplish little and even possibly get me banned.

So, I composed a carefully worded email politely but firmly stating how I had downloaded some software earlier in the day, that it had never been opened let alone employed for even one hand.

Predictably, I did not receive a reply let alone an apology for warning me about a breach of service which I had never engaged in.

Anyways, like the first few times re you realized the access certain parties had to your computer and internet habits, it was a good reminder your computer is no where near as private as you presume.

 

[bioman420]

Well, I don't know, but the platform says it's safe, only being an IT specialist to give a good answer.

 

[wrzlbrnft]

wrzlbrnft -

Welcome to the forum.

I can assure I you had a similar incident which made me very uncomfortable. Naturally we all have had experiences when we realize how many sites are following what we do and how we navigate and search the web so that they can pitch advertising in our direction.

However, like you something really out of order happened with PokerStars.

One day I downloaded a simple piece of software to analyze hands. Let me be clear due to timing, I had not even opened the download, let alone entered a single hand for analysis. I simply filed it away for later use. A little later I started to play on PokerStars and got the same message you did- that I was using software against their TOS.

I was outraged. The software had never been opened let alone employed. Obviously, it would appear they could track the download.

In an immediate sense I wanted to fire off a really aggressive email to PokerStars, but told myself to calm down. They hold all the cards and me taking a belligerent attitude would accomplish little and even possibly get me banned.

So, I composed a carefully worded email politely but firmly stating how I had downloaded some software earlier in the day, that it had never been opened let alone employed for even one hand.

Predictably, I did not receive a reply let alone an apology for warning me about a breach of service which I had never engaged in.

Anyways, like the first few times re you realized the access certain parties had to your computer and internet habits, it was a good reminder your computer is no where near as private as you presume.

Thanks for your reply,
before I opened the PokerStars software, the forbidden software was already closed. PS wrote in their mail, that I can use this software but only if PS is not in action...
I uninstalled "PokerStrategy Equilab" in the meantime, but will install again without using to see what will happen...
greetings

 

[pitoplay]

they can only see it if you have another tool open besides pokerstars, otherwise not

 

[dregan]

All elements involved in detecting and warning you about illegal programs are included in the program you downloaded to play at Pokerstars. It works just like your antivirus program. Any poker room or programmer will protect their software from interference from other programs. Each in its own way. By using third-party programs, you thereby interfere with the work of another program.

 

[Mahdi]

They have access to your soul from now, be carefull

 

[Adi8877]

They have access to your soul from now, be carefull

and by the time, that's the least....

 

[Joe1]

I think they only see the prohibited programs that are not allowed to be used because that's what they're looking for

 

[Adi8877]

Hello, I am from Germany and new in this forum.
Since a few weeks I play on PokerStars for leisure. Now I installed the free software "Poker Strategy Equilab". Few minutes later I got a PopUp and an email from PS, that I am using forbidden software and should stop this immediately. OK, maybe I haven't read all the ToS. Anyway, for me its to complicated to work with this tool, while I am playing Poker.
But my concern is: How deep can PS observe my Computer?
What access do they have on my files?
Any experiences?
Thanks

I am not an insider expert, but you won't hear the straight-forward answer from them, obviously.

Generally, nowadays, whose want to monitor you on internet, online, does not matter what device you connected on, they can, if they got the knowledge, technology, power, time (psycho mind) etc. The VPN, any other 'anonymous' things, browsers, firewalls, antivirus softwares, the automatic IP address change service providers etc. just an illusion, what they sell for good money...
So what do you think how deeply can they monitor, when it is about money for them, too, + you officially accept, that they do it, by installing the software. No paranoia, just fact based reality.

That's an other thing, given softwares are not allowed. By the way, you can find plenty alternatives, material about that, how you can sort it out... if you want so much.

If you play for leisure, maybe you prefer that site, as you find enough games, players anytime, in any type of games, however the basic thing what I do not like there, and that's a public fact: they charge the micro, (fun) players more than any other site. 13-14% fee for micro tourneys??? nuts... meantime, there are several sites with the common 11%, and few even under 10%. Worth a bit time to find them, even if it is just about leisure.

 

[wrzlbrnft]

They have access to your soul from now, be carefull

My soul has been sold already many years ago...

 

[maxivega]

When you "clicked" I accept the conditions, rules, etc., they already had access to all your thoughts . Be careful with having intentions to cheat

 

[Adi8877]

Be careful with having intentions to cheat

Nice bully. Compare to that, they don't care about bots on the site at all... meantime, this is the time, when the 'technology, softwares' giving the advantage to nowaday starters...
especially that the starting post was about a software usage (what depends on sites), and generally about monitoring...

And exactly this is the time, when nobody give a damn, have even just self-doubt about the officially illegal online activities.... especially not large companies... but the intentions!!! As we know theirs are always wonderful and the best for everybody, but never selfishly for them.... Do what I say, not how I do....

 

[najisami]

Hello, I am from Germany and new in this forum.
Since a few weeks I play on PokerStars for leisure. Now I installed the free software "Poker Strategy Equilab". Few minutes later I got a PopUp and an email from PS, that I am using forbidden software and should stop this immediately. OK, maybe I haven't read all the ToS. Anyway, for me its to complicated to work with this tool, while I am playing Poker.
But my concern is: How deep can PS observe my Computer?
What access do they have on my files?
Any experiences?
Thanks

How much access do they have to our privacy ? A lot more than we think is the painful answer and we can't do anything about it. I have no room or time to go through details here, but if you want to know more about it (almost everything), check out this Netflix documentary : "The Social Dilemma". You'll get a lot of answers from top former executives and software specialists and engineers from Google, Facebook, Twitter and more.
I want to add this though : How come a lot of players are using software like PokerTracker with Pokerstars and have no problems ? I know that for a fact.

 

[DS3]

Thanks for your reply,
before I opened the PokerStars software, the forbidden software was already closed. PS wrote in their mail, that I can use this software but only if PS is not in action...
I uninstalled "PokerStrategy Equilab" in the meantime, but will install again without using to see what will happen...
greetings

Exactly what I did - the program was uninstalled immediately!

To be clear, I have absolutely no problem with their terms of service and the attempt to catch someone if they were using any analysis tool in real time.

All I had done was download a piece of software to my computer which had yet to be opened to analyze a single hand. Further, I realize their system is on an auto-search for prohibited software and the 'warning' was also sent automatically.

I would have just appreciated a reply to my email saying, sorry, yes sometimes our security monitoring over-reacts....but I presume that would be an admission they can monitor what you download, so they offer no apology regarding anything.

Their site their rules.

 

[Riccoboni]

you may still believe that only the PS can track your computer.

It is very likely that because it is a company that moves millions of dollars, it has in its software arsenal some that can read small fragments of logarithms of all the programs installed on the computer.

I think this is reported in terms of acceptance when the software is installed.

 

[wrzlbrnft]

you may still believe that only the PS can track your computer.

It is very likely that because it is a company that moves millions of dollars, it has in its software arsenal some that can read small fragments of logarithms of all the programs installed on the computer.

I think this is reported in terms of acceptance when the software is installed.

I'm aware that my Computer is tracked by many companys. But in almost every case, I won't take notice. Here they gave me notice and this makes me aware about how "open" my files are...

 

[Martin]

How much access do they have to our privacy ? A lot more than we think is the painful answer and we can't do anything about it. I have no room or time to go through details here, but if you want to know more about it (almost everything), check out this Netflix documentary : "The Social Dilemma". You'll get a lot of answers from top former executives and software specialists and engineers from Google, Facebook, Twitter and more.
I want to add this though : How come a lot of players are using software like PokerTracker with Pokerstars and have no problems ? I know that for a fact.

Pokertracker and other similar software aren't on the banned list, here's the current banned and permitted lists:

 

[shinmenkami]

Well, i wont argue....anything that prevents cheaters is good in my books

 

[wrzlbrnft]

@Martin,
In addition to your tables of prohibited and permitted software, here is a table with tools and services which are allowed, but prohibited while PokerStars software is running. Here I found Equilab.

 

[najisami]

@Martin,
In addition to your tables of prohibited and permitted software, here is a table with tools and services which are allowed, but prohibited while PokerStars software is running. Here I found Equilab.

Thank you so much Martin. It's been a while that I'm wondering about that.

 

[najisami]

Pokertracker and other similar software aren't on the banned list, here's the current banned and permitted lists:

Thank you Martin. Very useful information. It's been so long that I've been wondering about that. I guess I should do some research once in a while.