Belgian laws allow me to sue EA, should I?

[Deleted]

Basically, it comes down to this: In Belgium, 2 major languages are used: Dutch and French. There are also 2 communities that each use 1 of these languages, with Flanders using Dutch and Walloon using French. We also got a bilingual area that uses both languages, Brussels.

Because of this situation, we got a number of laws in Belgium that cover the usage of these languages. crudely speaking, there's forced linguistic coercion and freedom of language. linguistic coercion forces politicians, civil servants, the army, the court, educational institutions and companies to use the language of the region they're in, while freedom of language allows people to speak their mother tongue in their own homes and in stores. This is even established in our constitution.

However, EA violates the law of linguistic coercion. as a company that does sales in Belgium, they're legally required to use Dutch in Flanders as their main method of communication. however, when I open the Origin Store or the Origin Client, i'm faced with French. this is a violation of these laws, since EA is compelled by Belgian legislation to use Dutch in Flanders.

I'm not quite sure enough if i'm entirely in my right here, but i still think I got a pretty strong case.

[llDemonll]

You're not going to get anywhere with it. I wish you luck if you do

[Kalyyn]

I'm not a big fan of EA, but those laws are stupid. Please don't act upon them.

[Crocadial]

I'm actually not sure you have a case here really, you are trying to inflict one countries laws on an international company that to my knowledge is not actually selling the product out via Belgian location. The onus here would be on your government to not permit the sale of that product if they feel the product is illegal or is not in the best interest of its citizens (see china for examples of this).

I could see this possibly going your way if the product was being sold in a retail store, but since you are using the origin client (not specific to nationality but region) I can't see you getting anywhere, also due to the fact that you would be suing EA because you managed to circumvent your local laws using the internet, instead i would sue your government for not enforcing its laws.

On a personal note, EA has made a product, nowhere have they agreed to tailor the product to you nor does your government have any right to demand it either, all they can do is choose to not permit sale of it within their borders, it is a self enforcing concept of sales vs success. And I feel sad that everyone keeps attacking that these days because their stupid entitled attitude clouds their world view.

[Edge-]

1. Are you SURE that internet and software based products are bound by these laws? Laws are usually very vague when it comes to the internet.

2. Honestly...no. Even if you manage to get a case together (time consuming and annoying), EA can easily keep it in pre-court proceedings or stuck in court for decades if they want to.

[Voij]

You may be completely in the right... but if you try to sue them, they will rip you and your bank account a new one.

If they see any chance at winning, they'll use all of their expensive lawyers to just crush whatever resistance you can offer.
If they don't think they can win, then they'll delay the process for several years until the costs bleed you dry.

Sadly, that's the reality one has to accept as a single person when facing a huge company.

[volar]

Basically, it comes down to this: In Belgium, 2 major languages are used: Dutch and French. There are also 2 communities that each use 1 of these languages, with Flanders using Dutch and Walloon using French. We also got a bilingual area that uses both languages, Brussels.

Because of this situation, we got a number of laws in Belgium that cover the usage of these languages. crudely speaking, there's forced linguistic coercion and freedom of language. linguistic coercion forces politicians, civil servants, the army, the court, educational institutions and companies to use the language of the region they're in, while freedom of language allows people to speak their mother tongue in their own homes and in stores. This is even established in our constitution.

However, EA violates the law of linguistic coercion. as a company that does sales in Belgium, they're legally required to use Dutch in Flanders as their main method of communication. however, when I open the Origin Store or the Origin Client, i'm faced with French. this is a violation of these laws, since EA is compelled by Belgian legislation to use Dutch in Flanders.

I'm not quite sure enough if i'm entirely in my right here, but i still think I got a pretty strong case.

I'm Belgian aswell, and i'm also from the Dutch speaking community (Flanders).
What you are speaking about is a bug in origin. It's not like EA games intended this. You should know by now, that we Belgians, often go to sites and get it in French and the Walloons (French part) often get their sites/apps/whatever in Dutch. This is simply because your location is based on the IP address. Somethimes the position based on IP address is not that accurate and will just give you the default language for your country (which for Belgium, is French - in programming locales at least).

So no, you can't SUE EA because of a "bug" if you can even call it that. There's a dutch webstore and if the IP localisation was more accurate you'd just be pointed at it.

[Endus]

In addition, if their servers aren't based in Flanders, then you're not actually doing BUSINESS in Flanders. Much like if you called a company in the US, they wouldn't be obligated to abide by Belgian law; the location of the server is where they're doing their Internet business, not wherever you're reaching the server from.

[Reg]

Basically, it comes down to this: In Belgium, 2 major languages are used: Dutch and French. There are also 2 communities that each use 1 of these languages, with Flanders using Dutch and Walloon using French. We also got a bilingual area that uses both languages, Brussels.

Because of this situation, we got a number of laws in Belgium that cover the usage of these languages. crudely speaking, there's forced linguistic coercion and freedom of language. linguistic coercion forces politicians, civil servants, the army, the court, educational institutions and companies to use the language of the region they're in, while freedom of language allows people to speak their mother tongue in their own homes and in stores. This is even established in our constitution.

However, EA violates the law of linguistic coercion. as a company that does sales in Belgium, they're legally required to use Dutch in Flanders as their main method of communication. however, when I open the Origin Store or the Origin Client, i'm faced with French. this is a violation of these laws, since EA is compelled by Belgian legislation to use Dutch in Flanders.

I'm not quite sure enough if i'm entirely in my right here, but i still think I got a pretty strong case.

From what I understand, it is only with official communications with government entities. EA isn't communicating with your government, they are communicating with the population. They could only off it in English if they really wanted.

[Wolftusk]

But seriously, is it really such a big deal? Can't you just change your language to english, dutch, or french?

[Calzaeth]

If you understand French, leave it. I know it is a matter of principle, following laws, etc. etc., but I'm sure the lawyers AND judges in any western country have better things to spend their time on than that.

If you DON'T understand French, I'll be cheering you on from rainy Norway!

[jvbastel]

Basically, it comes down to this: In Belgium, 2 major languages are used: Dutch and French. There are also 2 communities that each use 1 of these languages, with Flanders using Dutch and Walloon using French. We also got a bilingual area that uses both languages, Brussels.

Because of this situation, we got a number of laws in Belgium that cover the usage of these languages. crudely speaking, there's forced linguistic coercion and freedom of language. linguistic coercion forces politicians, civil servants, the army, the court, educational institutions and companies to use the language of the region they're in, while freedom of language allows people to speak their mother tongue in their own homes and in stores. This is even established in our constitution.

However, EA violates the law of linguistic coercion. as a company that does sales in Belgium, they're legally required to use Dutch in Flanders as their main method of communication. however, when I open the Origin Store or the Origin Client, i'm faced with French. this is a violation of these laws, since EA is compelled by Belgian legislation to use Dutch in Flanders.

I'm not quite sure enough if i'm entirely in my right here, but i still think I got a pretty strong case.

I can choose dutch or french here, live in flanders, not to sound rude, but I don't think they'll really care, or that it'ld ever be a case in court.

That said, especially in this day and age, it's a very touchy subject in Belgium, so who knows

[FathomFear]

I'm not quite sure enough if i'm entirely in my right here, but i still think I got a pretty strong case.

You very likely don't, though.

I mean, I'm Canadian. Goods and services sold in Canada must have French translations. So if I buy a video game from a physical store, the instruction booklet and all words on the cover are translated into both languages.

However, this generally goes out the window with online retailers unless they are physically present in the country. And even then I don't think it really applies.

[Strah]

however, when I open the Origin Store or the Origin Client, i'm faced with French. this is a violation of these laws, since EA is compelled by Belgian legislation to use Dutch in Flanders.

Is Origin client or store based in Flanders?

[Deleted]

You got nothing, people have been complaining for over 2 years that they can't choose their language in Origin.

Atleast French is a small step, think about how fun it is when your language is Germanic based and you're on a business trip or you're an expat and suddenly your entire Origin is in Arabic/Chinese/Japanese/Hebrew/...

[Skullmaster]

I am sick of these pointless lawsuits, we should all be focusing our energy on sending Bobby Kotick back to the Void from whence he came.

[Deleted]

I'd take every chance I can to sue EA. I really hate them. You probably won't win on this tho.

[Fencers]

@OP
Pretty sure EA can bury you in dollar bills.

[Diaxx]

I am sick of these pointless lawsuits, we should all be focusing our energy on sending Bobby Kotick back to the Void from whence he came.

Agreed.

This thread is now about banishing Bobby Kotick from our precious earth.

[Fencers]

Every time I take a sip of Coca-Cola I am glad Bobby Kotick isn't charging me a monthly sub.

/cheeky