Third Party Tracking Software and its Effect on the Industry

Poor PokerStars. Are they next on the list of online poker sites chastised for a privacy breach. Unfortunately, the most reputable online poker site out there, in an attempt to prevent people from using Sharkscope.com to track online poker tournament play within the website, was accused of breaching the privacy of its users.
The site they were banning is used to access player information, even when the player hasn’t authorized the right to view his play.. so PokerStars was checking to see who of their players was using the site to access this information, and has caught a lot of grief for it.
I think this is unfortunate. I agree with PokerStars’ position, and if these players didn’t want their privacy invaded, then they shouldn’t have utilized the software to access other players private information, when fully aware it was against the poker rooms’ policy.
I think PokerStars is one of the most progressive in the industry, and they’ve certainly done their share of work to ensure that their environment is safe and fair without impeding on the rights of their players.
Additionally, these websites provide each user with the ability to view their tournament and hand history, so if it were a matter of reviewing prior tournaments, this information was already readily available to them. So it seems to me that there was more to find using this software than many care to admit.
It is good to go back and review some of the hands you’ve played, I’ll admit that. The best way to learn how to play is to figure out where you’ve gone wrong.. but it puts one at an unfair advantage when you’re able to determine someone else’s strategy without actually having to play against them before.
Online poker provides players with the most advanced method of play, and unfortunately sometimes this can become cumbersome, and it creates more controversy and paranoia than its worth. Play like everyone else, people, and this kind of crap won’t happen.