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Facebook account required?

EarlGrey
Expert Protege
I decided to purchase a GearVR headset, I look on the box but could not find any indication that a facebook registration was required... but it was one of the first obstacles I encountered. I was almost like inevitable that I had to register for facebook to get my gear vr working.
I did google what was going on, and what was happening is that I had already disabled all of the facebook services on my phone, they were stone cold dead, because that's how I like face book, stone cold dead, I stone want to use facebook, never used them and dont want to use them.
And then I buy gear vr, from samsung and oculus, and I can't use it without having facebook installed.... they want access to my photos, phone numbers, and god knows what else.
I want a refund, please send me $110 to my paypal account, thank you, you're  breaking the EU law here, totally. Next step is going to my government complaining about this, because this is illegal, perfectly illegal, to force a membership to something that is not advertised. 
46 REPLIES 46

Zenbane
MVP
MVP

Richooal said:
There's no artificial barrier when it comes to blindness and driving. There are limits set by law.




The law is there to enforce common sense. That's how new laws are made and amended. Unless you're arguing that without the law there to tell you otherwise... you are unable to see the common sense behind preventing a blind person from driving a motor vehicle?

As it pertains to this thread, the OP simply had to click the "Create Account" link to see that it would send him to an Oculus Account creation (not a Facebook account). Problem solved. This is a case of self-induced blindness.

Someone like that is better suited for a piece of hardware that hand-holds the end-user, like the PlayStation VR, or Google Cardboard. There's a tool out there for everyone. The Rift and Vive are first gen products that are better suited for folks who are not easily stumped by an Internet Hyperlink. The OP wasn't just stumped, he went as far as to threaten government action because they thought something illegal was going on.

This isn't about ego's, it's about sensibility.

cybereality
Grand Champion
A Facebook account is not required to use either Oculus Rift or Gear VR (though some specific apps or features may use Facebook). However, on Gear VR, the Facebook background services are needed as much of the Oculus server infrastructure is hosted with Facebook and they are needed in order for the app to function. 
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EarlGrey
Expert Protege


A Facebook account is not required to use either Oculus Rift or Gear VR (though some specific apps or features may use Facebook). However, on Gear VR, the Facebook background services are needed as much of the Oculus server infrastructure is hosted with Facebook and they are needed in order for the app to function. 


I did not use a Facebook account. And the definition of "Facebook" isn't an "account", it's a platform and service.

There are facebook services embedded in the phone. They were the first thing I disabled when when I got my phone, 2 years ago. So I opted out.

Why should I enable it now for some seemingly unrelated product?

I bought a Gear VR?

You state that "Facebook background services are needed". Seemingly unrelated services for my phone to operate. Why not twitter services as well?

There's no mention of Facebook, whether be account or services, are needed to run the Gear VR.

You have to understand that some people go out of their way and disable anything related to Facebook.  I had already opted out.

Oculus requiring Facebook for GearVR to operate (not advertised), whether it's account or services, is simply not acceptable when you've already opted out of Facebook.

It's totally obvious to me that this is a big omission on the GearVR product boxes in store now. I've seen products pulled out of stores because of unadvertised ingredients. I've seen products pulled out of stores, like ready cake mixes, because they don't mention other necessary ingredients.

Zenbane
MVP
MVP

EarlGrey said:
I bought a Gear VR




I doubt you really bought one; I think it's obvious you're just trying to stir the pot. You keep posting as if you are clueless about Oculus and Facebook being tied together even though back in September 2016 you made a very heated post titled, "Lost all respect for Zuckerberg and Oculus"

https://forums.oculusvr.com/community/discussion/43099/lost-all-respect-for-zuckerberg-and-oculus/p1

Any Oculus Products are Facebook Products. Any Oculus Services are Facebook Services. This Forum Account you're using to whine is really owned by Facebook.

If you really bought an Oculus Product after "losing all respect for Zuckerberg and Oculus," then you set yourself up for everything you're complaining about.

Even the title of your thread ("Facebook Account Required?") makes no damn sense since: 1) Facebook owns Oculus, and 2) Any Account used to operate an Oculus Product becomes the property of Facebook.

I think he's got a point here.  I bought 2, owned them for a year and didn't know all that time that some Facebook services were required.  I wouldn't have known because i didn't look into it or attempt to cleanse myself of Facebook.
Big PC, all the headsets, now using Quest 3

kojack
MVP
MVP


I think he's got a point here.  I bought 2, owned them for a year and didn't know all that time that some Facebook services were required.  I wouldn't have known because i didn't look into it or attempt to cleanse myself of Facebook.


It makes sense though, the GearVR runs on oculus software which is owned by facebook and the oculus store is hosted by facebook, so facebook services are going to be used to connect the two.
Why would someone who wants to avoid facebook buy a device co-built by facebook?
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kojack said:



I think he's got a point here.  I bought 2, owned them for a year and didn't know all that time that some Facebook services were required.  I wouldn't have known because i didn't look into it or attempt to cleanse myself of Facebook.


It makes sense though, the GearVR runs on oculus software which is owned by facebook and the oculus store is hosted by facebook, so facebook services are going to be used to connect the two.
Why would someone who wants to avoid facebook buy a device co-built by facebook?



Well we know that don't we - the rest of my family probably don't.  In fact, i should think everybody on here knows that - 200,000 people?  How many Gear VR headsets are out there - maybe 6 million?

And, some organisations like to keep things separate - Facebook have to some degree.  As time goes on the sun is clearly setting on Oculus.
Big PC, all the headsets, now using Quest 3

mmmm I've just been reading up on the latest spat between Google & Amazon, with YouTube planned to be barred from Fire TV products, following Google product removal from Amazon. We've also seen legal tussles lead to a software lockout in the gaming world recently (allegedly).


I'm not super excited about hardware being so inextricably tied to the owner company for that reason alone but I realise I'm pissing in the wind.

If it said Facebook somewhere on the headset or explicitly stated the requirement for Facebook services then it's ok but i don't believe it did - is it anywhere in the manual?

Actually, when you download and install the Oculus app it's probably in the EULA - that's why i always read all 100 pages of every EULA   😉
Big PC, all the headsets, now using Quest 3

vannagirl
Consultant




Actually, when you download and install the Oculus app it's probably in the EULA - that's why i always read all 100 pages of every EULA   😉


Haha

Totes always read the Eula

https://youtu.be/FZ23kosLFec
Look, man. I only need to know one thing: where they are.