Wii U CFW concerns

[PMW]

Nintendo know my name, email, billing address as i have bought from the eshop. If I was to look at installing tiramasu, I see you need to be online and access a web site as part of the process. When you access the internet with a stock Wii U does it communicate with Nintendo? Will Nintendo know, im going to wiiuexploit.xyz as part of its WII U data collection and does this in anyway flag me to nintendo?

Or does the Wii U not connect to nintendo when simply going online via the web browser?

Is there an ultra safe, paranoid version of installing tiramasu without being online (maybe hosting an offline cashed version?)

Cheers
PMW

 

[CloudStrife190100]

You'll be fine. Nobody has ever been banned for online use using a custom firmware enabled system. If you cheat in games like splatoon then maybe they'll flag your account just for that game

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Never tried hosting it myself. Massive overkill for using the browser as an entrypoint once. Once is enough. Install Tiramisu and you're done with the browser.

But… Here is a bit on that topic:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/more-stable-webhack-for-5-5-2-5-5-3-5-5-4-5-5-5-released.528757/

Another entrypoint, a bit more complex. Normally for usage in case of broken browser:
https://gbatemp.net/threads/bluubomb-a-primary-wii-u-entrypoint-via-bluetooth.588522/

Spoiler: My opinion on: Nintendo gathering browser data

I would say they do not even have the right to gather that data (browser history).¹ This is way more than basic telemetry which is sadly standard nowadays. Connect actual personal data with surf history is a big no-no. Surely somebody will jump at me and answer my statement with: "YOU AGREED TO THE TOS!! EVERYTHING IS LEGAL!! THEY MAY DO THIS!!" (This always happens when I question the actions of big companies). Sadly for those supporting and defending shady practices: Such things aren't legal in all jurisdictions. Just because somebody typed some text and calls it TOS or EULA, this doesn't make things legal in every single case. Even more when accepting the terms of service is mandatory and those terms get shown after paying for the device². Such an end user license "agreement" doesn't have any impact in some countries (no matter what is written).

The Wii U is an excellent example how to not make a effective EULA: After starting the thing up it tells you that you accept all conditions by using the console (which you didn't know when buying it). Law might say (in Germany this is true): I payed the thing, so I may use the thing. Period. A hundred conditions to my disadvantage are surprising as well as null and void – no matter what they wrote into the text.
On the 3DS they used a more clever method (getting more aggressive isn't alway the better choice). Playing 3DS is possible without accepting anything. The TOS are only enforced before accessing Nintendo's online functions. ("Want to use OUR stuff? Here are the rules!") I can read and decline them and the offline functions will still work. Such TOS might be effective (depending on the content).

Google is way more aggressive in this regard and will surely demand accepting a ton of garbage clauses before you can use a Google Account (not that I ever tried to create one). More likely for an Android phone/Chrome to track your browsing history than a Wii U. Notice that this is like on 3DS: An Android phone will work just fine without agreeing to Google TOS. There might be rules from the manufacturer that enforce agreement (null and void) in order to start up the phone for the first time.




__________________
¹ Let's face the problem: Browser data can contain the most private or even intimate thoughts of a person.
² Same for the lame excuse: You could have researched online before buying. → Reminds me of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

My personal point of view in above spoiler aside: Having visited the exploit page doesn't say anything. Let's say Nintendo really monitored Wii U browser and on some day (before the Switch was a thing and they could have had interest in such behavior) they would have decided to track down homebrew users to ban them if they visited such a page. The answer to that would have been to place automatic redirections to the page at various points. Or links inside ads. This way unsuspecting people using the Wii U browser (some might actually have tried it) would have visited the page without even wanting it. Good luck for Nintendo proofing their point of view.

In addition to that: To my knowledge nothing every happened to homebrew/CFW users on the Wii U.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Cs_by8]

As much as i know: nothing will happen to your account, it will be ok. I think you will only get a "flag" if you use cheats in online games.

 

[Lostbhoy]

The ninjas are already at your window......

 

[PMW]

Hey everyone, thank you for the responses and KleinesSinchen for the detailed writeup and other links.
Im now going to scrape those ninjas off my window!
PMW

 

[BaamAlex]

And even when they would care about the wii u...they wouldn't ban your account, just your console or just the access to games. Mario Kart 8 or splatoon for example. But the rest of the console is still usable. eShop, adding friends, play other games online and so on...