We live in a global age.
In mere minutes, words I type on my phone can fly around the world, be seen by millions, and shared in any number of languages, even if the grammar and wording might be off. I can create a video and share my unique experience within minutes. I can shop around the globe, buying from anyone with an internet connection and the ability to mail a package.
But dear God, don't ever think of moving anywhere else but your one lonely corner of the digital universe!
When I decided to move, I thought the biggest issue I would have would be how to get my stuff from A to B. I figured that all the rest would be simple. Oh, but friends, let me tell you of the horrors of moving in the digital age.
The first on the chopping block was getting my PayPal switched countries. I frequently use PayPal as it means that I have a single point of contact when it comes to payment changes. It makes live so much easier, I assure you. So, I went into change my address, and the horror began.
I couldn't change the country. It wouldn't allow it. So I contacted PayPal via email, and was told to call in to process this change. I did, and was told they were unable to change country. UNABLE. Their "software" doesn't have the "option" to do this. Why does it not? Has no one ever moved before? I was told to just set up a whole new account. Now, I could have gotten a new email (despite this account being linked to my main email account), made a brand new PayPal, linked it all to my new bank account and such in the US, but why? My payment history is on my old account, the one now rendered useless due to their "software" not having an "option".
The alternative, and this was wonderful to do, was to cancel my old account, and remake it. And of course lose all my payment history. I chose this option simply because I don't need yet another email I don't use and to have two damned accounts to keep track of for fraud, and the whole damn purpose of having a God-damned PayPal account for me was having a single God-damned point of contact for all my God-damned purchases!
So, after that lovely experience, I moved on to my Apple account. They were more than happy to tell me that yes, you can change your account. Joy of joys, I thought! So I did so... and then lost access to ALL of my music, ALL of my apps, EVERYTHING. Now I can, and did, switch it back. And was told that there was no guarantee of me having access to my entire purchase history once I moved countries.
I am so glad I went so digital.
You see, I never used to buy anything online for fear of losing rights to it. Never had I considered that once I moved, that would be exactly what would happen. So, I simply told Apple that they would see no future business from me, and my account is now still, and forever will be, tied to a property I no longer own.
Onto Steam.
Now, I had this deep fear that, once again, I would lose everything. Joke's on me! Steam and Valve do not give to fucks about it. I can still play my games. Literally I just changed my country and state, and all my games are right there. It's so beautiful I want to cry. I didn't have to delete my account. I didn't lose my friend list, none of that. It's just a change of where I am located, who cares digitally where it's stored, right?
Next to PSN.
Now I had hoped that, since I was fine on one gaming platform, I'd be fine on them all. And since I just bought Rocksmith, I was down to get me some song packs to learn to play those songs. So I went to put in my new payment info. And guess what? PSN does not allow you to change! Once you are in a region, that's it. There are petitions all over to change this, because the alternative, if you want to use the same email, is to delete your account.
That's right, you read that correctly. Delete your account. Lose your friends' list, your achievements, any online content you've purchased, All of it. Gone. Forever. Boom.
I was going to buy a PS4. That's it for that, now. If I am going to lose all I got there, they can fucking go piss up a rope for all I care. Until that policy changes, not another Sony-based game will enter my house.
Onward to Google!
I have a small Adsense account, being a partner with YouTube, as well as for ads here on this blog. It has made next to nothing in comparison to other channels, and honestly I have never received a payout. It has a bit of money in it, so I would assume Google would allow me to change countries. Apparently I don't make enough for them to bother.
Their "answer" via an FAQ says that you can, of course. But after reading tons of posts on the Adsense forum, the answer is, "Of course, if you are making enough money for us to give a damn, otherwise remake your account and lose any money in there." It's a wonderful moment when you realize that, if you were bigger, of course they'd be happy to help...
Finally, we come to Microsoft. I was certain this would be the worst. However, no, they allow you to change. Not only that, it's automated. And if you have issues, they walk you through it. And reassure you, as Myra from their support chat did. I keep all my friends, all my content. Everything, as I am not leaving the region my account was created in.
I have other accounts yet to tackle, such as from Square-Enix-Eidos-Idontevenknowanymore, Blizzard, and the like, so there might be an addendum when those come to pass. Overall, this experience has been hell, with so many phone calls and web based chats railing to just have my accounts back the way they were. The digital world needs to be free, open and ready to allow you to move your life, not punish you for your decision to move.
So, if ever you feel the urge to move, just remember your digital life might not move with you.
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