Passwords .... BBC .... Grrr!

[Dave2002]

OK - so organisations such as the BBC are trying to "protect" themselves (maybe) by insisting on passwords to access features, though often these may simply be to gather more information about users. It's not absolutely obvious what purpose passwords serve, particularly for less critical sites, which are not concerned with finance, health or defence of the realm.

Yesterday I "had" to register with the BBC in order to "make it easier" for my PVR to access the BBC iPlayer site. It seems I had to change my password - since "it" discovered I'd already got one, and a registered email. It wasn't even just a few minutes, as advertised, but I was asked a few questions which provided yet more demographic information, which may - or may not - be used appropriately. I'd probably rather it wasn't used at all.

Now, today I try to access R3 online to listen to Record Review as I've taken to using my computer to feed the output through my DAC to listen to radio these days - and again I'm asked to sign in. Guess what ....? I had to try to register again, but was then told that my email was already in use. When I put in the password for the TV I'd created yesterday it didn't work, so I had to reset the password, which fortunately didn't take too long. This time I managed to reset to a previously used password which I also know, so hopefully things will work for a while - or will my TV/PVR combnation continue to play up? I don't know.

More and more complication for perhaps no very good reasons. Not quite enough motivation for me to plug my DAB receiver in and start using it again, and I don't really want to go back to FM, but how complicated does life have to be? Or to be made?

[Petrushka]

When I came to register for using the I-player I was astonished to find that it remembered my password and log in details from the old BBC Radio 3 boards 10 years ago and unused since coming here. Shrugged my shoulders at the nosey questions - one gets used to such things nowadays - and all done in seconds. Seemed simple enough to me.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That's why I like to be able to switch the radio/TV on and listen.

[Dave2002]

When I came to register for using the I-player I was astonished to find that it remembered my password and log in details from the old BBC Radio 3 boards 10 years ago and unused since coming here. Shrugged my shoulders at the nosey questions - one gets used to such things nowadays - and all done in seconds. Seemed simple enough to me.

I tried that, but that didn't work - or maybe it still does - as I used another email address for that. I thought it didn't actually work.

[teamsaint]

OK - so organisations such as the BBC are trying to "protect" themselves (maybe) by insisting on passwords to access features, though often these may simply be to gather more information about users. It's not absolutely obvious what purpose passwords serve, particularly for less critical sites, which are not concerned with finance, health or defence of the realm.

Yesterday I "had" to register with the BBC in order to "make it easier" for my PVR to access the BBC iPlayer site. It seems I had to change my password - since "it" discovered I'd already got one, and a registered email. It wasn't even just a few minutes, as advertised, but I was asked a few questions which provided yet more demographic information, which may - or may not - be used appropriately. I'd probably rather it wasn't used at all.

Now, today I try to access R3 online to listen to Record Review as I've taken to using my computer to feed the output through my DAC to listen to radio these days - and again I'm asked to sign in. Guess what ....? I had to try to register again, but was then told that my email was already in use. When I put in the password for the TV I'd created yesterday it didn't work, so I had to reset the password, which fortunately didn't take too long. This time I managed to reset to a previously used password which I also know, so hopefully things will work for a while - or will my TV/PVR combnation continue to play up? I don't know.

More and more complication for perhaps no very good reasons. Not quite enough motivation for me to plug my DAB receiver in and start using it again, and I don't really want to go back to FM, but how complicated does life have to be? Or to be made?

The BBC have already admitted that the main reason for signing in to iplayer is so that they can collect data on us, ( the people who pay), as well as making sure that people have paid their licence fee.
So it doesn't have to be this complicated. That is a BBC choice. I think it is very intrusive.

[Dave2002]

The BBC have already admitted that the main reason for signing in to iplayer is so that they can collect data on us, ( the people who pay), as well as making sure that people have paid their licence fee.
So it doesn't have to be this complicated. That is a BBC choice. I think it is very intrusive.

In addition, I think it gets more complicated and annoying if you have multiple devices. The days when there was only one radio and perhaps only one TV in a house have long gone.

I'm not only singling out the BBC though. I know of some people who use the same password for everything - which helps with memory - but provides very minimal - if any - security. However, if every organisation insists on passwords that becomes a total pain if they are all different, and although some browsers "save" passwords, you don't seriously think I'm going to trust my passwords to a browser created by Google, do you? In any case some such organisations have probaly figured out my passwords in any case.

Some while back a security "expert" said on a radio programme that passwords were largely irrelevant (I don't fully agree, but ...) as merely typing a few words was sufficient for remote servers to figure out who you are - due to all the data which is passed back and forth between your keyboard and the servers.

[french frank]

However, if every organisation insists on passwords that becomes a total pain if they are all different, and although some browsers "save" passwords, you don't seriously think I'm going to trust my passwords to a browser created by Google, do you?

Firefox saves passwords, and they can all be different if you have a masterpassword. Has anyone been ruined because their 'secure' passwords on their computer(s) have been hacked and all their worldly goods stolen? I.e. have they been deemed to be 'at fault, negligent'?

[khiiutvhjui]

I made my password easy to remember, it contains a numeral or two combined with "puckoffbbc"

[Dave2002]

Firefox saves passwords, and they can all be different if you have a masterpassword. Has anyone been ruined because their 'secure' passwords on their computer(s) have been hacked and all their worldly goods stolen? I.e. have they been deemed to be 'at fault, negligent'?

The scenario you posit seems a bit extreme, and probably hasn't happened too often to too many people. However trusting software to work with data including passwords requires .... er ... 'trust', and I'm not sure that I trust every system or software package very much, let alone govenment departments, and other commercial organisations which keep information about me which could be compromised.

[Dave2002]

I made my password easy to remember, it contains a numeral or two combined with "puckoffbbc"

So about 14400 possibilities then!

[Bryn]

I rarely listen to BBC Radio 3 other than via the iPlayer. I do not need to sign on/login in order to thus access it or other BBC iPlayer content. It's really quite easy to get (and indeed keep) such content without the need for a password. I do have a television licence, and indeed a BBC online account. It's just that I do not find a need to use the latter in order to access programmes.

[Old Grumpy]

So about 14400 possibilities then!

Or puckoffBBC followed by two digits!

[Beresford]

I rarely listen to BBC Radio 3 other than via the iPlayer. I do not need to sign on/login in order to thus access it or other BBC iPlayer content. It's really quite easy to get (and indeed keep) such content without the need for a password. I do have a television licence, and indeed a BBC online account. It's just that I do not find a need to use the latter in order to access programmes.

Similarly for me - no password needed for Listen Again - when I use an old browser (Opera v12.17) on Windows 7. But using a newer browser (Vivaldi) on the same PC, or anything on Windows 10, and I need a password (which Vivaldi remembers if I ask).

[Bryn]

Similarly for me - no password needed for Listen Again - when I use an old browser (Opera v12.17) on Windows 7. But using a newer browser (Vivaldi) on the same PC, or anything on Windows 10, and I need a password (which Vivaldi remembers if I ask).

Interesting. However, the clue to my lack of need for a password is to be found in the word "get". Google that and the neologism "iPlayer" for elucidation.

In a earlier post I referred to a right-angled rhomboid penguin. That was also a rather blatant clue.

[Dave2002]

Or puckoffBBC followed by two digits!

That gets it down to 100 possibilities.

As for the rhomboid penguins, right angled or otherwise, what "refreshments" are people on round here?
Really I'm lost with such obsurity.