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RealPlayer 7 Pref: Supply Info to Content Providers

Connection quality data and GUIDs

Connection quality data?
GUIDs

Sending the RealPlayer 7 Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) When Playing Streaming Content

Default Setting: Disabled

RealPlayer creates a Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) upon initial installation. A GUID is a randomly generated alphanumeric identifier that is used to indicate a unique installation of RealPlayer. Because the GUID is not sent to RealNetworks as part of the electronic registration process, RealNetworks cannot, and will not, associate the RealPlayer GUID with any of your personally identifiable information. By default, GUIDs are disabled in RealPlayer 7 and are not sent at any time. In order for your player to transmit a GUID at all, you must turn on this feature in Preferences. Even when you have turned on GUIDs, they will only be transmitted to streaming media servers, and they will not be sent during electronic registration.

Some content providers require you to enable your GUID to access their streaming media clips. This is typically because their content is restricted-access (such as pay-per-view). The content provider uses the unique GUID in your player to verify that you have permission to play the content. If you choose to enable the GUID, the GUID will be sent to all streaming media servers when you connect to them using the RealPlayer.

You can turn on and off this setting in RealPlayer at any time by selecting "View", then clicking "Preferences", and then selecting the "Support" tab, where you can enable or disable the sending of the RealPlayer GUID.

What Information is Sent to Streaming Media Servers

If you enable this option, the RealPlayer ID will be sent to all streaming media servers when you request a streaming media clip or broadcast. This includes both RealServers and Web servers.

When you communicate with a streaming media server, certain other anonymous information about your system is sent to enable you to play a stream. For more information about the data that is sent, please see our Consumer Software Privacy Statement: http://www.realnetworks.com/company/privacy/software.html

How This Information is Used

The GUID is used by some RealServers to grant access to a specific player for content that is restricted-access. A content provider may also request that you enable GUIDs so that they can use the GUID for statistical purposes, such as measuring the unique audience size for a particular broadcast.

Privacy Implications

The RealPlayer ID (GUID) is not associated with your personally identifiable information such as user name or e-mail. The RealServer owner cannot contact you or identify you personally based on this GUID, unless you give them your personal information while at their Web site.

If you elect to send your GUID, RealServers typically log this anonymous GUID when you play their content, along with your IP address, the clip you played, and some other relevant information about that streaming media session. RealNetworks is not responsible for the activities of any third party content provider.

For more information about RealPlayer and privacy, please read RealNetworks' Consumer Software Privacy Statement: http://www.realnetworks.com/company/privacy/software.html

Connection quality data

Default Setting: Enabled

If this option is enabled, RealPlayer will send information to the content provider (streaming media server administrator) relating to the quality of the connection between your RealPlayer 7 and the server at the end of each streaming session.

What Information is Sent to Streaming Media Servers?

The following data are sent during this exchange, when enabled:
  • Data sent during transmission that was lost, recovered, early, or late
  • Codec (media format) used and the network protocol used for sending information
  • Bandwidth at which the clip was encoded, average bandwidth used during playback
  • The maximum amount of time (latency) before recovering a lost packet; the minimum latency experienced before recovering a lost packet; the average latency experienced before recovering a lost packet
  • Percentage of data resent; resent packets that did not get to the player in time to be used
  • Percentage of clip that required rebuffering
  • Time when the player received the first piece of clip data.

How This Information is Used

These anonymous statistics give server administrators information about the quality of the broadcast that they are delivering to the RealPlayer. This helps them identify network and bandwidth issues that may be interfering with a good streaming experience, so they can optimize their quality of service over time.

Privacy Implications

No personally identifiable information is sent with this data.

For more information about RealPlayer and privacy, please read RealNetworks' Consumer Software Privacy Statement: http://www.realnetworks.com/company/privacy/software.html