^^ That's true, but why is gaming so special to be so different?

Box office is clear good or bad
TV ratings are public
Billboard music charts is public
etc.

Why do gaming companies get to be all secretive?

I am agree with u, we are living on the Information era, where single bit of information or data can lead to a downfall of a  corporation, person, even a country.

well we can say " information" is expensives but at the same time information is achievable when you have the access, insider, money, informant or even a mouse hole . In other industry like music and movie the player (competitor ) is very big and information is become more cheeper to access unlike with console manufacturing Industry.

Gaming companies and NPD really need to be more transparent about things like this. Aqua is probably feeling a lot of pressure now especially from NPD Group.

I'm confused as to exactly what she expected?  It's not like it was some secret that she and Cream were known, trusted, leakers in the gaming community.  I mean, leaking is great and all...but so is your job, or whatever allows her to have that kind of access.  Why would you risk that by going to the same site for however long (no idea how long she's been there), leaking the same information, however vaguely for months (or years) and expect someone not to pick up on that?

I was going to edit my original post to Aqua's post but I'll just post it here:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=134811748&postcount=1454

Cream had contacts with a leaker, adding a layer of security to protect the original leaker. Something happened and contact was lost with the original leaker, prehaps he was ratted out somehow. Aqua, I'm unsure on her relation, if she has direct access or access from another person. Why Aqua would do such a thing? Who knows, maybe she really likes NeoGaf and wants people to know this information or maybe it's for some ideological reason, who knows. Your guess is as best as mine. In any case, they know they are playing a dangerous game.

I am not american, is it a crime to make public npd data if you paid of it? Imagine I am george soros and I pay for it. I can't say how much Rayman Legends sold last month on twitter?

Nvm, guess it's just breach of contract.

Translation, they both expected this, and their layers of security were bound to eventually fail.  It's unfortunate, but it appears that they both understood the risks they were taking.  Still, doesn't give her any right to fly off the handle because her leaks were...being leaked beyond Gaf.  If she didn't want that, she shouldn't have said anything online.  I mean, seriously...it's online, it's going to get out.

It is not a crime, you cannot go to jail if you do it. But it is a breach of contract, so NPD can choose to stop taking your money and not give you the info anymore. There might be some financial reprecussions as well, but it is a matter of a contractual agreememt between two parties.

so the risk is they will not renew my subscription if I make their data public.