qlstats.net shuts down on May 24, 2018

On May 25th, 2018 the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will become enforceable.
This new regulation brings some legal changes that make it impractical for me to continue the operation of qlstats.net in either it's current or a modified form.

The key issues are:

Players have to agree before data can be collected
The main purpose of qlstats.net is to provide a skill rating for team shuffling, and for that to work it needs a rating for ALL players in a match. Players who don't agree to be tracked will always have an unknown rating, making the entire system useless.
Players have the right to get their data deleted and be forgotten
Trolls can sign up and ask for deletion every other day. Doing so they would steal my time, make the matchmaking useless and matches would have to be deleted or anonymized after they were stored, affecting all other players too.
Information sharing
Since the rating API is open to everyone, there is no way for me to tell who is using the collected data for what purposes.
Data export
The regulation states that there must be an automated system were a user can export all his data. This would require some additional coding that I don't have the time for.
Severe penalties
Anyone can file a complaint at the authorities for free and I would have to spend a significant amount of time and money to deal with it.

Some will be pleased that the site finally shuts down, others will be sorry. There are valid reasons for both. I'd like to thank everyone who helped keeping the site alive, especially eugene for helping with the code and all of you who reported issues with the site.

I can't give the already collected data to someone else or move the site outside the EU, because that could get me into legal trouble just as well. Hence my decision is final and I will shut down the site.

So long, and thanks for all the fish!
- PredatH0r

Anonymous (94.197.121.115)

This makes me sad... :(

posted 5 years ago

Anonymous (176.10.104.240)

this is the worst news I've ever heard

Anonymous (188.134.67.144)

Could you send me the data? I'll try to create site outside EU. You can find me in Discord @Oleg

Anonymous (177.79.9.23)

rip :(

Anonymous (142.169.78.95)

Damn

Anonymous (71.191.208.231)

You could just ask Quake Live (official) to add some bit of verbiage into their terms of service saying that you (and whoever) can collect data from the servers, and all players agree to this by using Quake Live.

The other stuff is just overhead.

You're not running a service to stop hackers, really. You're running a service to serve the 99% of people who aren't hacking. They want their data shared and they want to compare it to people who also want their data shared. And if some random hackers delete their stuff daily (make it automated), then...who cares? You provided a signal that said, "Stats don't make sense...probably a hacker." Now it will be, "Stats don't exist...probably a hacker." So, about the same.

I can appreciate you not wanting to get into trouble, but you are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO far from the primary target here.

Do Quake Live stats collected from random aliases even count as personal data? 1) I'm not sure the quake stats count as data. 2) I'm not sure aliases count as personal.

If you want to shut the site down, cause it's a burden, then okay. But, I dunno man... I kinda think you could literally do nothing in this case and 1) probably still be within the law and 2) even if you're not, absolutely no one would care, and 3) getting Quake Live to add the blurb would protect you regardless.

Anonymous (46.246.123.70)

GDPR is fun.

Anonymous (68.10.134.120)

Thanks for all you did for us Pr3d.
Stownr

Anonymous (73.249.174.198)

Could you sell the site to someone outside the EU?

Anonymous (86.246.60.161)

Can a russian save us please...

Anonymous (86.57.255.90)

We are working on it :-)

dirtbox

hopefully someone uses that API to mine all the data before May 24

eugene_

already doing that

Anonymous (46.188.141.124)

You plan on making a site on a different location?

My plan is NOT making all in one stats service like Predath0r's qlstats.net. My plan - split and delegate stats service to other admins. For example:
- One big stats service for duels and clan arenas. Maybe I will maintain. Planing to host in Russia.
- Another stats service for #tdmpickup tdm pickup games. Maybe Drayan will maintain.
- Another stats service for Russian CTF/TDM pickup games (already maintaining in http://stats.eugenemolotov.ru)
- Another stats service for public classic FreezeTag games. Talking with Melodeiro (game server admin) about maintaining.
- Another stats service for european Attack and Defend games (already maintaining in http://stats.eugenemolotov.ru)
- Another stats service for rocket-only ctf. Will talk to Turkey (game server admin)
- etc

All stats service will be technically independent to each other. Later I will make a discord server for stats service admins to coordinate our work.

quetz

And what about FFA? I Don't see FFA!
I can maintain it if no one will.

зайди в дискорд, там оставил сообщение

Bolland

ndependent to each other. Later I will make a discord server for stats service admins to coordinate our work.

Sounds great

Anonymous (81.130.145.174)

do you plan to make any changes to the algorithm etc?
I feel like the inactivity time for the leaderboard isn't fair - someone plays just one game a year in CA to keep their #1 position

Anonymous (178.159.112.132)

press f to pay respects

Anonymous (203.161.80.59)

Omg! This is massive news for QL. It's a shame to qlstats go as it's the best thing we have for matchmaking and player ranking. To be sadly missed :(

Anonymous (141.28.140.29)

thank you for everything mate! you balanced my pickup games since idk when :D
maybe someone can start it all over again from outside the EU.. without you getting into trouble.

Oh nooo.. What's the fun to play if you can't see your elo progress =(

Anonymous (81.236.48.97)

Someone please start an alternative

Anonymous (31.221.216.171)

Sad day :(

Now we will have to play QC.

Thanks pred for all your efforts, we started without qlstats and end without it, it has been A Perfect Circle.

Mou7on

Sad news, thanks for everything though... RIP :(

Anonymous (195.25.69.17)

Why would you be concerned by GDPR, you are not collecting any personal information.

those are only statistics linked to a pseudo.

The only one to be concerned by GDPR is Steam.

lichen

Are you sure you are collecting personal data? I don't think you are. GDPR may not be applicable to you.

Only personal data would be steamid possibly and I don't know about other game statistics services that would think about GDPR as long as name, telephone number etc would be gathered

matuka

hard brexit required

Anonymous (178.122.211.92)

May this one will keep QL alive forever and kill QC.

Anonymous (180.150.6.9)

I run some QL servers here in Australia and would be keen to know how I could run a local version of QLstats if anyone could point me in the right direction on how to do this I would appreciate it...

Local QLstats could be a solution but wait til we know if someone can take over the old QLstats and keep it Global. It should not be that hard, we have a local Xonstats which QLstats was based on at work (for Xonotic), they guy that runs the Xonotic server set it up in less than one hour after downloads Xonstats.

OlegTar

>>It should not be that hard.
I suppose you have a small amount game servers at your work.
Qlstats services 600+ game servers. You need to have good hardware for Qlstats server
Server Qlstats has 2 vCores, 8GB RAM, 40 GB SSD + 50GB HDD add-on
Similar configuration costs $51 or 41 euro per months.
For me it's expensive.
It's not hard, it's expensive

Meant that a local QLstats should be easy, not the global one :) I think we could start a donation system for running QLstats, it would cost money for hosting I understand. Someone trusted could setup a paypal or similar and then send the money to the server host, or just the server host gathering donations directly, a start of a few hundred euro should be possible and after that there should be a way to keep some donations coming in to make at least 40 euro a month on average. With Google Ads on a page there might be some easy ad money to gather also?

k1lljoy

U might actually find those specs for about 20 euros per month)

Anonymous (188.142.216.9)

eugene if this comes trough remind _dre_ user on esreality to donate, send me a message

kristus

Pretty sure that record keeping of games statistics aren't considered personal data.

Anonymous (51.6.100.69)

This is an absolute borderline case. Have you consulted a professional? If qlstats is in breach of GDPR so are all the dedicated servers.

Great news? From qlstats.net: "We are currently investigating options to make qlstats.net GDPR compliant and hope to continue the service after May 25th 2018.
Thanks for all the supportive feedback and help offers!"

I guess users should register here and allow tracking of data:
http://qlstats.net:8081/account

-- April 28, 2018 --
[15:49] eugene: Hi. I have checked qlstats main page. How is gdpr options investigation going on?
[22:22] PredatH0r: looks like in Austria, where i live, the government decided that a first-time violation only results in a warning and not a fine
[22:22] PredatH0r: so i have a little more time to get everything in place
-- April 29, 2018 --
[19:15] eugene: What do you mean by getting everything in place?
-- April 30, 2018 --
[02:23] PredatH0r: code changes, server changes, privacy statement, new code for automated data deletion, migration, information, reporting of gdpr violations, ...

Anonymous (76.65.63.156)

Can i sign up to ask to remove the data such as aliases? Will sighing up automatically make me agree to share my info thus my aliases not be deleted?

InFerNo

You agreed to the Steam API TOS to have your data shared with 3rd parties. If you can prove with your personal information (your ID card or other) that the alias is yours, then you can make a request. If you cannot link the alias back to a real person, then it's personal information.

h4t3

;_;

cha0z_

Thanks for everything mate! <3

filo

fuck sake... kudos for all the effort it was realy good!!!

Anonymous (78.144.254.216)

Hi, you seem to be jumping the gun here. Companies and organizations have already determined several ways to overcome this (and more ways are being found) including over some other issues this new act causes (those would not apply here). For example if there is stated to be a legitimate interest in possessing, compiling administering the data (which of course there is here as the majority of past players registered have demonstrated this by subscribing) then you are fine and however, more importantly on your site you cannot identify any individual (the act is crucially about this) by their game/alias names or email addresses (don't think emails are shown on your site anyhow) and a complaint would have to prove that which is next to impossible, and the complaints procedure is very long winded and complicated so no one on the site would complain and if they did and they would not come within the criteria required to demonstrate they have a valid complaint (as there real names/identities are not shown) so you are totally fine and this legislation does not apply to you at all. Also, you can insert an opt out clause on the site informing any one named on there in any shape or form they can opt out by sending you notification or pressing some tab. Resolved - no charge....this time...EU dont mess with Quake live-rss! :)

Ps I'm a lawyer so if you want more info. can you confirm where I can send you my contact details in case you have any other concerns and need help.

AemJaY

damn...

Anonymous (51.9.8.107)

You are not collecting any personally identifiable data, I think you have the wrong end of the stick.

PredatH0r

It all comes down to how the term "personal data" and especially "identifiable" is interpreted, and without court rules, a lot is speculation and opinion.
https://www.gdpreu.org/the-regulation/key-concepts/personal-data/ mentions online identifiers.
The primary purpose of a steam-id is to identify a player.
Just as current German law considers an IP address (static or dynamic) as an identifier, because in both cases legal procedures exist to get information from the ISP to get the identity of the person e.g. for legal prosecution. In the same way it can be seen that Valve can link a steam-id to a natural person, i.e. based on the credit card information they have.
And just like the example with coffeeaddict@example.com, if a player puts his real name and his steam-id on his personal blog, the steam-id makes him indirectly identifiable.

That's how I read this text, the regulation and many other guidelines to GDPR and DSGVO.
I rather overshoot and interpret the GDPR to my disadvantage than going optimistic about it and then having to spend time and money on legal issues. Even if it is unlikely to happen, better safe than sorry.

Having that said, there is already another post about my plans to continue the service.
Some things will change and we will see if it will be accepted by players.
https://qlstats.net/news#50034

1,869	noctis	21	3
1,840	Leshaka	2	0
1,413	veliars	11	2
1,200	Magikarp	22	8
1,163	deekay	12	3