[Someone1234]

Own a Quest (1), use it nearly daily, and like my Quest.

I won't even be looking at the Quest 2 because they now require a Facebook account to use it, and I have absolutely no interesting in that (from a privacy or integrations standpoint).

I just want to game in peace. When I purchased my original Quest they were making guarantees that Facebook integrations were going to be optional, only to backtrack two years later.

[hardwaresofton]

This is going to be a big experiment in whether growing products need the early adopters that propel it to relevance and provide the early alpha/beta testing, development and QA in the early life of the product.

If we assume that the VR and the Quest in particular are past the early adopter part of the graph, then FB actually doesn't care that it's pissed you off, maybe it doesn't mind jettisoning the helpful but disposable fuel tank (AKA early adopters, no offense) before hitting the mainstream. I wonder if someone has done this (rather cynical) calculus internally, and if so, if it's repeatable.

There are echoes of this all over the product world -- API access on platforms are another prominent example, the rug pull from early adopters/builders on platforms seems orchestrated (in addition to inevitable) at this point.

[shortandsweet]

What's your hard point about it?

Seems like a dummy, fake, account would provide what you need?

What other concerns do you have?

Legitimately curious.

[dylan604]

What happens when Facebook closes the dummy, fake account you've associated with that device for not being a real person? Do all of the purchases you've made also get blocked?

[shortandsweet]

I'd say you should get a refund at minimum. Or even transfer your purchases to a new account in some fashion.

[cloogshicer]

That would never happen. More likely they would never reply or just give an automated answer.

[Mindwipe]

Facebook's statement on the matter doesn't say that there will be a refund or transfer and that the purchases will be lost.

If that would stand up in court (certainly outside of the US) isn't clear.

[distances]

This was discussed in depth in a previous discussion in the topic, but your assumption that it's trivial to create a fake Facebook account for this is wrong. There may be different experiences but you should assume you'll need a valid mobile number or a valid-looking social graph, or both.

[shortandsweet]

How is my assumption wrong? They haven't even implemented it fully yet.

There's google voice for a number. Probably other services that offer that.

I think your post has a lot of assumptions... Social graph? What?

[distances]

Not just for this purpose, but Facebook accounts in general. If you try to create one without a valid number and/or seemingly valid friends list, chances are it's blocked in no time.

I don't know a thing about Google Voice, but I for one wouldn't bother setting up some fake numbers to create a fake account to use my own hardware.

[shortandsweet]

That's fair as long as FB specifies these requirements ahead of time. I'd be unhappy if FB didn't tell you and this is only discovered after the fact.

[xendipity]

I recently created a Facebook account with a made up name and a new Google Voice phone number to sell an old monitor and the account was disabled within 2 hours.

[shortandsweet]

Perhaps it was disabled due to money being involved? I could see that as fraudulent activity myself.

[cptskippy]

I tried to create a work Facebook account using my work email address and phone number and they required SMS verification. I tried all manner of services, even Twilio but Facebook seems to be able to differentiate.

[Someone1234]

Facebook don't allow dummy/fake accounts and haven't for quite some time[0].

So tying expensive game licenses to an account Facebook may close at any time is a non-starter.

[0] https://www.facebook.com/communitystandards/misrepresentatio...

[shortandsweet]

I dont see where a gaming account is prohibited? Maybe stretching the multiple accounts requirement but there are ways to navigate that.

[Someone1234]

There's no such thing as a "gaming account." They're the same account.

[Nextgrid]

Facebook collects data beyond what you provide when opening the account; they can use that to either detect the fakeness of the account and close it or track its activity to populate your (real) shadow profile, or both.

Just like with radioactive sludge, the best way to deal with Facebook is to not get anywhere near it.

[criddell]

A fake account on Facebook is against their terms of service.

Some people who are critical of Facebook for their ethical lapses would feel like a hypocrite obtaining Facebook services under fraudulent pretenses.

[shortandsweet]

An account to use oculus doesn't seem like it's a fake account. It's being created to use their services. I don't see how that qualifies as fake.

[criddell]

You're the one who specified a fake account.

> Seems like a dummy, fake, account would provide what you need?

[diggan]

> they were making guarantees

Wasn't this a promise from Palmer Luckey as an individual, not a statement from either Oculus or Facebook? As a owner of Oculus, the difference doesn't really matter, it sucks none the less. But I think we're all better off never trusting what individuals nor for-profit companies says as they can always change their mind, especially if it brings them more money.

[WillPostForFood]

“I want to make clear that those promises were approved by Facebook in that moment and on an ongoing basis,” Luckey said, “and I really believed it would continue to be the case for a variety of reasons. In hindsight, the downvotes from people with more real-world experience than me were definitely justified.”

[ryandrake]

I've got a Rift, and that will be my last Oculus purchase unfortunately (unless they divorce from Facebook). Love the product, hate that the rug was pulled out and I will soon need to be tethered to Facebook to use it. I should not have to get the manufacturers permission every time I use a product I bought.

[donohoe]

But as you say, they will require that soon for the Quest 1.

[Someone1234]

You can opt out on Quest 1 until at least next year. But they've said all future hardware will hard-require it from the start.

[scott31]

> guarantees

that is a weird way to spell `lies`

[dylan604]

more points in Scrabble that way