Q:
Stop asking to remind me for SMS
A:
I learned that we’re asking not every log-in, but every fifth time or so. For most people, that means they’re being asked about once a week.
SMS is a highly desirable feature that we strongly encourage every eligible person to take advantage of. There are no plans to allow a complete removal of the reminder, but I’m told you can hit play directly and not deal with the reminder at all. The team will review feedback and may consider changes to the frequency at a later date. Their priorities are on other things right now, but they may visit this in the future.
Communications Manager
Guild & Fansite Relations; In-Game Events
ArenaNet
You could always just sign up, to stop the messages? O_o
Unless you don’t own a cell phone. lol
Unless you don’t own a cell phone. lol
You can still choose the option to get called, so if you have a phone of any sort you can get signed up.
But yes, I do agree about the reminders.
So long Treeface.
“…Kormir? I know not of whom you speak.”
Yeah im sorry but I am not going to start dishing out my phone numbers to game companies, I don’t care how secure they say they are or what they say they will use them for I just don’t trust anyone anymore when it comes to personal information and the internet, which is why I give minimal information and use only paypal, definatly no phone numbers.
Aurora Glade
You could always just sign up, to stop the messages? O_o
Learn to read, I said I don’t want to sign up…
then put an authenticator on instead, and they dont need your phone number at all (and yes even if you dont have a smart phone you can still do it, is an program for your computer that can be used too, so no excuses). Matter of fact they will require your to use 2-step authentication of some sort now
Yeah im sorry but I am not going to start dishing out my phone numbers to game companies, I don’t care how secure they say they are or what they say they will use them for I just don’t trust anyone anymore when it comes to personal information and the internet, which is why I give minimal information and use only paypal, definatly no phone numbers.
If you have a Facebook, or are using Google, this is actually pointless.
Yeah im sorry but I am not going to start dishing out my phone numbers to game companies, I don’t care how secure they say they are or what they say they will use them for I just don’t trust anyone anymore when it comes to personal information and the internet, which is why I give minimal information and use only paypal, definatly no phone numbers.
If you have a Facebook, or are using Google, this is actually pointless.
Or Win10 or even just connecting to the internet is bad. /tinfoilhat
Fact is if you are really that insecure about using the sms function. Buy a cheap payasyougo sim card and a cheap phone and use that number instead.
Anet have stated they wont sell numbers on since this feature is purely to keep your account safe only.
Or use the desktop authenticator.
no I don’t use facebook or win10 and you can turn off googles search recording history.
Aurora Glade
no I don’t use facebook or win10 and you can turn off googles search recording history.
Do you really think that ‘turning off googles search recording history’ prevents them from collecting data ?
no I don’t use facebook or win10 and you can turn off googles search recording history.
Do you really think that ‘turning off googles search recording history’ prevents them from collecting data ?
I didn’t say that all I said was you can turn of the history recording.
Aurora Glade
Unless you don’t own a cell phone. lol
You can still choose the option to get called, so if you have a phone of any sort you can get signed up.
But yes, I do agree about the reminders.
Let me give you an example of why this is unacceptable. I have a phone but I don’t use a cell phone. If I’m playing at 3 am and my IP changes, which can happen with my phone company, I get a call in the middle of the night, waking people in the house. Forcing people to either click something or accept is simply bad.
Hail to the mini mistical dragon – everyone must obey
U N D E R W O R L D
W v W-r o a m e r
yes well if anything ever did change my mind it would be my overwhelming urge for a tasty noodle dragon. I really do want one of those tasty little(not so little) guys…
Aurora Glade
As GummiBear already pointed out, you can just install an authenticator on your PC instead, the SMS option is only for people who don’t have smartphones and don’t want to install the PC authenticator.
There’s nothing insecure about the authenticator, it doesn’t communicate with any servers (the server and your authenticator program are just crunching the same mathematical model that produce identical results, that’s how it stays in synch without needing constant communication) nor does it require any private information; that aside, there’s also an option in the accounts page to memorize the hardware ID of your computer and mark it as safe, which should stop the security update mail you keep getting.
I have the opposite problem: I want the SMS and have not gotten any prompts to do it. I know it’s coming out in waves. Where does the prompt appear? At login? On the launcher? In game?
Can I preemptively sign up for it via the account page without waiting for the prompt?
just sign up with your email. download the exe and activate it. then you can deactivate it. its easier than pooping.
I have the opposite problem: I want the SMS and have not gotten any prompts to do it. I know it’s coming out in waves. Where does the prompt appear? At login? On the launcher? In game?
Can I preemptively sign up for it via the account page without waiting for the prompt?
Yes, go to services > my account > security and then there should be a link to starting the process in the center of the page. It’s the 2 step verification thing.
Why is there no option to decline this though? is it being forced on me or what?
You could always just sign up, to stop the messages? O_o
Except that signing up makes thing even worse.
For serious, no matter that I choosed to “Remember this network”, every 4-5 days it asks me to re-input the code.
In the foruns it just don’t remember ever, and every time I need to log-in, I need to check my phone the new code.
I haven’t received any notices. Are you getting them by email or what?
ANet may give it to you.
Yes, STOP asking this. It stops my autoplay and is annoying. I don’t want to keep seeing this pop.
/signed.
No means no. Not “later”.
There is absolutely zero way I am ever going to give any company my phone number. It’s funny how ANet basically tells us they don’t trust us to pick good passwords, but expect us to trust them to keep our phone numbers safe. Well… I don’t.
That and 2-factor authentication is bother overhyped and a complete PITA.
/signed.
Please stop asking. It’s not going to happen. Never given my real name and/or address and/or phone number over the internet.
I work in IT, so it’s a thing.
If you have a Facebook, or are using Google, this is actually pointless.
I have two or three Facebook accounts (I think I’ve lost track of one). None of them have any real information. The only thing real is that on one account the photos are real.
Just because someone asks for your address and phone number, doesn’t mean you have to give it. I’d give my phone number and address if a business requires it to deliver physical goods. My bank has my details and as such I also gave them my phone number for internet banking verification.
If I’ve paid for a service and I’m not doing anything wrong, then my personal information is just that…. personal.
You could always just sign up, to stop the messages? O_o
Learn to read, I said I don’t want to sign up…
I did read, but it just seems more convenient to sign up either for the SMS alert or the PC app to just get rid of the messages, than it is to complain on a forum and hope the issue goes away.
And you get a free dragon mini in the process. XD
You could always just sign up, to stop the messages? O_o
Except that signing up makes thing even worse.
For serious, no matter that I choosed to “Remember this network”, every 4-5 days it asks me to re-input the code.
In the foruns it just don’t remember ever, and every time I need to log-in, I need to check my phone the new code.
I’ve never had to put in a code to login to the forums. I’ve only ever had to put it in when I launch the game client and even then, I only ever have to redo it if I reset my modem or the internet went down for whatever reason (where it forgets the network you are on).
That being said, I’ve had to reinsert the code a grand total of three times since going onto the new system. It’s hardly what I’d call an inconvenience and, in my opinion, it is rather trifle compared to the potential inconvenience of having your account hacked into. I’m glad they added an authentication process, and while I do agree that opting out should be an option, I would personally recommend that players use authentication regardless.
There are a few benefits. Firstly, you’d secure your own account (obviously). But in addition to that, you’d also help reduce the potential amount of gold sellers in game by making your account harder to hack. Thus, you potentially remove the inconvenience of having to block and report every time you get spammed, or save yourself having to read or delete pointless scam mails in game. The more people secure their accounts, the less issues you have to deal with, with regards to spam and botting in game.
Of course, all of this probably wouldn’t be as necessary if people knew how to properly secure their accounts in the first place (e.g. not using their username +123! as their password). But yeah, I guess that’s not going to happen. >_>
(edited by Tenrai Senshi.2017)
Im not suprised you keep getting reminded to sign up. Account security is a pretty big deal and this goes a long way towards making it more secure if the red posts on the subject are any indication. Otherwise its like your willingly walking around with a gap someone else can crawl in through. Id reccomend getting the authenticator program for your computer if you don’t want it on any external advice.
Its better than the alternative of leaving your computer vulnerable. When I still played wow I ended up getting hacked. Issue is my ranking in my guild was high enough they got access to our guild bank. Which they promptly cleaned out. I ended up leaving the guild even after it was restored due to the fact that the guild bank itself WASN’T restored. And nothing I could have done would have been enough to repay the guild for that my laziness cost them. (several mounts that didn’t drop anymore. Extremely rare weapon skins. High tier equipment for people that wan’t to get into raiding. And months worth of consumable buff items)
Id have to say bite the bullet and get the authenticator program for your pc. Its the least invasive. And its better for the people you play with as well as yourself.
I don’t want to share my phone number with any random company neither. That “mini” won’t change my mind as well since I find it rather annoying and ugly (it’s even bigger than ranger pets and it moves way too much). But be assured OP, another big MMO also added the SMS security layer some years ago, also with a free mini (very creative, Anet) and they stopped asking players to give them their numbers after some time because players also made posts like this in their official forum.
oh btw. ignore my grammar, my english is horrible today~
Very strange.. the OP just wants an option to stop that annoying login message to sign up for SMS and everyone starts saying “just do it” or “you must eat vegan” or “wear a tin foil hat” or “every body else does it so you should too”.
Some of us out here still think for ourselves and make our own decisions.
What part of “NO” is so hard to understand? (AND NO, you can’t have MY stuff)
(edited by Jimson.5168)
Anet have stated they wont sell numbers on since this feature is purely to keep your account safe only.
Or use the desktop authenticator.
Is this really within Anet’s power tho: I decided to link my phone number with Steam’s authenticator/security system, and the SMS code came from the same number as Anet’s numbers do, seems more like a 3rd party is handling this…
Normally I would agree with everyone, but my phone number lost its privacy years ago. I get telemarketer calls somewhat frequently, so I really don’t care if Anet has it. If I don’t recognize the number, I don’t answer, simple as that.
It’s a medical condition, they say its terminal….
Anet have stated they wont sell numbers on since this feature is purely to keep your account safe only.
Or use the desktop authenticator.Is this really within Anet’s power tho: I decided to link my phone number with Steam’s authenticator/security system, and the SMS code came from the same number as Anet’s numbers do, seems more like a 3rd party is handling this…
Good point.
I signed up to the sms authenticator and the messages come from the same number as another so including Steam that makes three companies using the same number. It must be a third party company and so how can ANet possibly control security of their numbers? Soon as that company has financial difficulties can we all expect nuisance calls and texts?
I’m starting to regret my decision now.
Welcome to the Internet, exposing characters since the early 80’s.
Normally I would agree with everyone, but my phone number lost its privacy years ago. I get telemarketer calls somewhat frequently, so I really don’t care if Anet has it. If I don’t recognize the number, I don’t answer, simple as that.
Telemarketeers don’t need to know your number… they just program a demon dialer computer to call every number in a certain area code/exchange while some poor schmuck getting minimum wage in a call center waits for his phone to be connected to whomever was careless enough to answer.
It IS different when you voluntarily give out your information… after that, you have NO control over what happens to your info or where it goes. Like most everything in life these days, it boils down to “is the risk I take giving out this information worth the benefit of whatever service I’m getting in return?”. In the case of a video game, I think not. All I would lose is some virtual possessions that have no RL value to me and probably every friend in my guild should the guild bank get emptied… I think I can live with that.
Yes, its really kittening annoying.
Please put in an option to “dont ask me again”.
I don’t want to share my phone number with any random company neither. That “mini” won’t change my mind as well since I find it rather annoying and ugly (it’s even bigger than ranger pets and it moves way too much). But be assured OP, another big MMO also added the SMS security layer some years ago, also with a free mini (very creative, Anet) and they stopped asking players to give them their numbers after some time because players also made posts like this in their official forum.
oh btw. ignore my grammar, my english is horrible today~
Just to be clear for anyone who may not realize this, but you can use the PC App for authentication as well. You don’t have to use SMS authentication if you are uncomfortable with giving out your number.
I don’t want to share my phone number with any random company neither. That “mini” won’t change my mind as well since I find it rather annoying and ugly (it’s even bigger than ranger pets and it moves way too much). But be assured OP, another big MMO also added the SMS security layer some years ago, also with a free mini (very creative, Anet) and they stopped asking players to give them their numbers after some time because players also made posts like this in their official forum.
oh btw. ignore my grammar, my english is horrible today~
Just to be clear for anyone who may not realize this, but you can use the PC App for authentication as well. You don’t have to use SMS authentication if you are uncomfortable with giving out your number.
Let’s look at this a bit closer… If I am out of the house and I happen to be able to use my son’s phone wifi hotspot connection and decide to read the forum on my tablet, All I need to do is use the PC app on my desktop 20 miles away to be able to log in on my tablet… yeah… that’s an option.
Just to be clear, I did sign up for this, got my mini (which I promptly buried as deep in my collection bin as I could), and then had so much trouble actually using it for reasons that are no one else’s business, that I unlinked it (it took me 3 tries before I could get it to accept the two codes). The hassle of using it outweighed the alleged account protection benefit so I will take the risk, Like the OP, I don’t need to be constantly asked to sign up for something I already rejected.
I don’t want to share my phone number with any random company neither. That “mini” won’t change my mind as well since I find it rather annoying and ugly (it’s even bigger than ranger pets and it moves way too much). But be assured OP, another big MMO also added the SMS security layer some years ago, also with a free mini (very creative, Anet) and they stopped asking players to give them their numbers after some time because players also made posts like this in their official forum.
oh btw. ignore my grammar, my english is horrible today~
Just to be clear for anyone who may not realize this, but you can use the PC App for authentication as well. You don’t have to use SMS authentication if you are uncomfortable with giving out your number.
That’s not the point, it doesn’t matter. The point is there should be another option that stops the reminders if one chooses NOT to participate for what every reason.
Let’s look at this a bit closer… If I am out of the house and I happen to be able to use my son’s phone wifi hotspot connection and decide to read the forum on my tablet, All I need to do is use the PC app on my desktop 20 miles away to be able to log in on my tablet… yeah… that’s an option.
Using the authenticator’s secret key, you can setup the same authenticator on however many devices you’d like.
Authenticators are very simple. The code they generate is nothing more than a combination of the time and your secret key. Anyone with that secret key can duplicate that authenticator, which is why you’re not supposed to save it in an unsecure location.
The point is there should be another option that stops the reminders if one chooses NOT to participate for what every reason.
Use the -nopatchui -email -password command line options to login directly to character select?
I don’t want to share my phone number with any random company neither. That “mini” won’t change my mind as well since I find it rather annoying and ugly (it’s even bigger than ranger pets and it moves way too much). But be assured OP, another big MMO also added the SMS security layer some years ago, also with a free mini (very creative, Anet) and they stopped asking players to give them their numbers after some time because players also made posts like this in their official forum.
oh btw. ignore my grammar, my english is horrible today~
Just to be clear for anyone who may not realize this, but you can use the PC App for authentication as well. You don’t have to use SMS authentication if you are uncomfortable with giving out your number.
That’s not the point, it doesn’t matter. The point is there should be another option that stops the reminders if one chooses NOT to participate for what every reason.
I get the point. However, some people seem to only focus on the SMS side of it, saying they don’t want to give their number. I was just making a statement to ensure people knew that they could also use the desktop app as well. Is informing people a crime?
I will ask the team if the options and messaging can be amended.
Thank you for the suggestion, and because the thread is so derailed, we’ll close it now.
Communications Manager
Guild & Fansite Relations; In-Game Events
ArenaNet