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One of the most common defenses I see for the requirement that you login with a Facebook account before you can use Oculus hardware is "If you want to use an Android/iPhone you have to have an Google/Apple account, this isn't any different." But that's not true! A thread:
Here's a quick an easy guide to setting up an iPhone without an Apple ID. It's part of the normal flow, no special tricks or hacks required. https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/use-iphone-without-apple-id-3779932/
Android devices are even simpler, with a prominent "Skip" button on the sign-in page. https://gizmodo.com/a-guide-to-using-android-without-selling-your-soul-to-g-1827875582
Obviously in both cases the path the sign in experience tries to guide you down is logging in with one of their respective accounts, and there's good reason for that: You don't get access to things like the app stores without an account to verify purchases with.
But, crucially, you can still use the devices! And in the case of Android you can install alternate app stores or sideload apps if you'd like. It's not the best experience, sure, but it's better than a brick. Especially if you're a developer who wants the device for testing.
But even if you DO login with a Google/Apple account it can be registered as "Development Account #25643" and you can still use it. Neither have any requirement that you use your real name (well, Google doesn't *anymore*) and neither prevent you from having multiple accounts.
And obviously the situation on desktops is even better, where Apple or Microsoft would really love for you to sign in to their ecosystems but device credentials are completely separate and installing programs from outside the platform app store is the norm.
And that's the difference: With Oculus devices now you MUST use a social media profile that MUST be tied to your real identity, MUST be your only account on the service, and MUST be "in good standing" (whatever that means) to use the hardware you bought. There is no escape hatch.
If you could skip the FB login and lose access to the Oculus store/social features that would be a far better situation. Wouldn't be a great experience but you could still use things like the browser, Sidequest, or develop and test your own apps.
But as thing stand today Facebook can arbitrarily decide that you, individually, can't use their platform anymore for any arbitrary reason with no functional way to appeal, and then this happens: https://twitter.com/NicoleLazzaro/status/1328407989695303680
Update: So apparently I haven't set up Windows 10 for a while, because I've been informed that Microsoft has been engaged in login shenanigans recently.
Still not as harmful as tying device credentials to a social account, but not great either. https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-10/how-to-setup-windows-10-without-a-microsoft-account/
Still not as harmful as tying device credentials to a social account, but not great either. https://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-10/how-to-setup-windows-10-without-a-microsoft-account/
