In reply to Origin account banning. I view it this way, even the worst troll that paid for his product doesn't deserve to lose it via bans. It's just that he can't be allowed to affect anyone else's experience when he/she plays the game. At least, when getting banned for saying the wrong thing.
If the EULA clearly says "you troll our forums, Thog break your game, and no talk to talky man" (or whatever the equivalent legalese would be), then the troll would not have a right to keep playing the game. The problem is that EA is not being clear about, and really seems to be actively dishonest about:
1) Does the EULA include that a forum ban may result in a game ban?
2) Does the EULA include that EA does not even have to discuss the reasons for, or appeals about, a ban-decision?
If the EULA doesn't include either of those, or some equivalent broad "we can do whatever we want", then the folks losing access to their games (and being stonewalled by that "this decision is final, no discussion" policy which seems to accompany most such situations) have the right to sue EA for breach of contract (or something similar, at least in the U.S.). Class-action might be the way to go there, if there are enough people.
But my guess is that EA has its rear-end nice and covered legally. Though to some extent public lying can eventually get you into legal trouble.
As far as proof about Origin scanning your HD, it's actually in their EULA that you agree to allow them to scan your drives. Further quick research shows that they don't scan too much of your drive, but that's still too much for EA. http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/24/eas-origin-eula-proves-even-more-sinister/ . http://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/lsoj6/still_thinking_eas_origin_is_harmless/c2vbjty
The first link is good reason to not accept the EULA (and not buy the game), because that's very broad permission indeed. The second link seems to show that Origin isn't really doing anything fundamentally worse than steam (I guess you could argue that it doing it on initial install without asking is a problem, I dunno if steam does that, but Origin does seem to be restricting itself to potentially-relevant-to-customer-service information).
It's not that EA really deserves the benefit of the doubt anymore, but if we're not scrupulously honest in accusations towards even the most orcish of people, the result is generally just more problems.
