Tech

Online gaming platform, Roblox, has been slapped with a multi-million dollar lawsuit, alleging it knowingly allows children to engage in gambling through shady, third-party sites. The firm, well aware of the platform’s in-game currency called ‘Robux’, is accused of profiting from this illegal practice.

The lawsuit squarely points a finger at entities such as RBXFlip, Bloxflip, and RBLXWild for operating illegal gambling games targeting children across the country. While Roblox categorically disallows in-game gambling, copious questions have arisen about the platform’s seeming tolerance for third-party betting sites apparent exploitation of the platform’s currency.

Roblox’s experiences notoriously entice young players with allure of lootboxes—virtual goods purchased with real money. This unregulated practice is legal in the U.S. but outlawed elsewhere, notably in countries like the Netherlands. There are increasing discussions of an EU-wide clampdown on this predatory practice which could drastically impact the revenues of game developers.

The lawsuit, publicly reported first by Bloomberg Law, was filed by plaintiffs Rachel Colvin and Danielle Sass. These mothers, whose children were allegedly seduced into gambling Robux on these third-party sites, claim to have lost thousands of the virtual currency without their knowledge.

Roblox, recognized for hosting myriad virtual games catering to children and teens, reportedly hosts third-party gambling sites that invite users to bet Robux on games of chance, such as blackjack, slots, and roulette. Ironically, Roblox itself is described as more of a platform listing virtual experiences than a traditional game developer.

The plaintiffs argue that the company’s terms of service are misleading. They fault Roblox’s insistence that its digital currency and platform are safe, especially in the face of known, illegal third-party gambling sites. In response, Roblox reassured that ensuring user safety and suspending entities who violate their policies or endanger their community is a primary tenet of their operation.

The plaintiffs argue that evidence of third-party betting sites seemingly operating with impunity within the Roblox ecosystem contradicts the company’s reassurances. Roblox’s seemingly passive approach to these violations, given the time they’ve had to act, is also under scrutiny.

Furthermore, Roblox’s support for limited edition virtual items has raised further questions. Often compared to NFTs, these rare virtual goods constitute an additional source of revenue for developers. However, given Roblox primarily caters to a young audience, the promotion of a Robux-based trading economy is viewed with growing concern.

This class-action lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California, alleges that Roblox is knowingly allowing and profiting from illegal child gambling. The outcome of this case may set a precedent for other major online platforms centered around children and teens. As of yet, Roblox denies any affiliation with the accused gambling sites. However, the company’s action or lack thereof in light of these allegations might be a determinant for any potential legal ramifications it could face.

When it comes to e-commerce giant Amazon, a large number of reviews on the platform might be fake or computer-generated creations, but that’s about to change in a significant way. Spotlighting the capabilities of artificial intelligence, Amazon has announced that they’ll start using generative AI to amplify product reviews. This feature promises to summarize the general sentiment and product capabilities after perusing a substantial array of reviews on a product page. However, it remains to be seen whether this will affect reviewers’ motivation.

The intersection of AI and neuroscience recently got another boost from Berkeley researchers who applied a machine learning model to interpret brain activity while listening to music. Despite the brain being a convoluted network of signals, machine learning has been successful in segmenting identifiable rhythms and melodies.

In the sphere of linguistic models, the Allen Institute for AI has unveiled Dolma, an immense text-based dataset for large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Dolma is expected to form the foundation for the group’s anticipated open-language model or OLMo.

Turning to the world of entertainment, the recent SIGGRAPH event showcased AI’s proliferating presence as both a tool and a research subject. Despite AI’s reputation for controversy in the film and TV industry, it was utilized innovatively in visual effects (VFX) development, with several great papers on display.

Enhancing the user experience in digital platforms, two apps developed with GPT-4 help visually impaired users. One app can guide the user towards an empty seat in a room, while the other sifts out critical information from medicine bottles. Meanwhile, OpenAI has introduced a moderation technique using GPT-4 to ease the burden on human teams.

Pulling AI into everyday tasks, ETH Zurich researchers developed a method for trained robots to open and walk through doors. Swinging the balance towards user control, a novel tool “Drag Your GAN” allows users to modify only specific parts of an image, potentially revolutionizing the picture editing process.

Amid these advances, there were some slip-ups. Snapchat’s in-app AI chatbot briefly went rogue, causing unease among users, though the company later confirmed it was a glitch. On a positive note, AI startup co-founded by former OpenAI leaders, Anthropic, raised significant funding led by a leading South Korean mobile carrier.

Not to be outdone, a joint endeavor from CMU and Meta created an AI agent that is capable of understanding object interactions and managing tasks, simulating how toddlers learn.

In the end, machine learning continues to infiltrate new frontiers, even solving challenges posed by neuro cells’ unknown role in the brain, piloted by researchers from MIT and Harvard. They propose that certain cells might function similarly to a transformer or attention mechanism.

In conclusion, the state of AI is more exciting than ever, with advancements from Amazon and Google to budding startups and keen researchers continually reshaping the landscape of artificial intelligence with every passing week. Yet, it’s still early in the AI journey, and as with most aspects of this mesmerizing field, only time will tell where we go from here.

While the world caught its breath in anticipation of the next move in the automotive industry, American auto giant Ford has let loose an intriguing strategy. The company has stated that it will incorporate its hands-free technology, popularly known as “BlueCruise,” into half a million vehicles by the 2024 model year across North America. The premium line-up where this will be standard includes the likes of the F-150, Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, and Nautilus, including the all-electric variant – F-150 Lightning.

Ford’s move might lend credence to the company’s early announcement in May: it is indeed steering towards a digitally-forward future. Focusing on the perennial potential of software technologies, Ford has effectively made its case for a place in the evolving era of autonomous driving.

A glance at Ford’s earlier approach reveals a heartening change in the company’s conventions. Excluding the Mustang Mach-E, Ford had only provided interested buyers the choice of opting for the hands-off driving feature on purchase of a new vehicle. However, the upgraded scenario brings promising flexibility.

Under the new model, prospective buyers don’t have to decide whether or not they want to experience the autonomous BlueCruise at the time of vehicle purchase. This could serve as a boon for used-car consumers who might be willing to invest in additional features that past owners might not have opted for. It’s a move that even the most discerning critic would admit shores up Ford’s commitment to customer-centric innovation.

While this development qualifies as a stride, it must be acknowledged that Ford trails competitors in the race towards autonomous driving. Yet, the company compensates for its delay with a more affordable subscription.

On the financial side of things, Ford promises a fairly reasonable deal: pay just over $2,000 upfront with a new vehicle for 3 years, or jump on their trial period, rolled out free of charge, before deciding on a payment of $800 annually or a manageable $75 a month. It’s a pricing tier likely to remind many of Tesla’s model for its driver-assist subscriptions.

The downside does warrant a mention. Despite the company’s best efforts, the pricing of the BlueCruise isn’t exactly budget-friendly, compelling customers to shell out a significant amount. But with the digital age rendering an increasing number auto and tech-savvy, Ford might have just found its sweet spot in the premium space.

By making its hands-free-driving tech a standard feature in many of its future vehicles, Ford is staking a powerful claim in the automotive trend towards software-and-services driving value. Its approach echoes Tesla’s model, forging a distinct path for the Detroit-based automaker’s future.

Indeed, Ford’s decision to become a more active player in the world of software-and-services is a testament to the automaker’s adaptive nature and forward-thinking strategy. While it’s not alone in this arena, the company’s strides towards advancing automotive autonomy are nonetheless significant. They signal an industry-wide commitment to creating a highway future where hands-free technology and premium services coexist in harmony.

As Ford revs up its engines in the race towards autonomous driving, the automotive world watches with interest. The future is being carved out on Detroit’s assembly lines, where classic American ingenuity meets cutting-edge technology. This move towards hands-off driving as a standard feature might well represent a significant milestone on the road to automotive evolution.

The Big Sky State, known for its expansive vistas and unique culture, is at a new crossroads. Montana’s quest to navigate uncharted waters, set to make a bold statement with a TikTok ban in 2024, has turned more than a few heads. However, it’s not just the audacious app ban that’s in focus; the state’s ability to grapple with the Earth’s relentless warming is also a burning issue.

The prospect of banning a widely-used social media platform like TikTok from an American state is as laborious as it is controversial. Montana, famous for its frontier attitude, is nevertheless willing to step into these untested grounds. Implementing these restrictions will be monumental, riddled with difficulties, chiefly due to the possibilities of circumventing these laws via VPNs or cross-state travels.

These radical decisions echo the Senate’s longtime concerns about the Chinese origins of TikTok. With the parent company ByteDance under scrutiny, allegations of possible data sharing with the Chinese government persist. The proposed ban can thus be seen as a strategic move aimed at protecting American privacy amidst escalating international tensions with China.

The debate over these digital spheres is tangled with an existential crisis rooted deep within our physical world – global warming. Matt Simon, the expert doomsday journalist from WIRED, provides chilling insights into this issue on the recent Gadget Lab podcast. Humanity faces a rapidly intensifying climate emergency, with escalating heatwaves, warming oceans, and raging wildfires.

Public opinion on the TikTok ban remains mixed, with a recent Reuters poll revealing that almost half of the surveyed Americans favor it. This sentiment may gain traction as the trend of enhancing digital privacy garners momentum, aligning with global concerns about data security.

However, let’s talk about another form of escalation affecting Americans daily – the price surge of numerous streaming services. One notable example is Amazon’s music streaming service, which has announced a price hike, turning up the heat on its Amazon Prime members with Unlimited Music plans. The price leap from $9 to $10, although seemingly insignificant, reflects a growing trend amongst streaming services.

Inventing ways to bring in more revenue isn’t restricted to Amazon alone. Spotify and Netflix have also gambled on similar moves, with the former raising its Premium subscription price and the latter introducing paid ad-supported tiers. With these actions, these tech giants are laser-focused on maximizing the value of their platforms.

In another bombshell tech news, Apple has been ensnared by the infamous ‘Batterygate’ scandal, affecting iPhones within the 6, 6S, and 7 families, as well as the original SE model. The lawsuit alleges that Apple intentionally slowed down these devices through software updates, a claim which Apple vehemently denies, citing it as a safety measure to prevent phones from shutting down due to low battery. However, the reality that they’ll need to shell out up to $500 million to aggrieved customers tells a different story.

Trudging through the scorching heat and challenging legal terrain, Montana finds itself a bellwether of the country’s challenging path ahead. As a maverick in balancing the temperature of its digital and physical climate, this state’s resilience will determine future tech legislations and climate action.

As the immense and uncontrolled wildfires grip Canada, a drama rivalling any disaster movie unfolds on the ground in real life. In the quiet twilight of Wednesday, before the formal evacuation order arrived, a convoy of three cars trundled out of Yellowknife, forming part of a frantic exodus from the town.

The mood was tense, fear hung in the air like a shroud. The only road out of town, Highway 3, was girdled in flames and smothered in smoke. Ndlovu, a resident, recalls wild animals darting alongside the road trying to escape the inferno, while others lay still, lifeless, on the highway shoulders, having failed to outrun the deadly fires.

Yellowknife isn’t alone in its plight. In the past week, the Dene communities of N’dilo, Dettah, and Kakisa, along with a host of other smaller population centres such as Hay River, Enterprise, and Fort Smith have also been on alert as the wildfires forge a path of destruction through Canada.

The journey out of the burning city was fraught with fear. As the sun dipped below the horizon, and the darkness was punctuated by the ominous glow of encroaching fires, the highway became a snaking ribbon of desperation, choked with escaping drivers. It’s a story reminiscent of an unsettling Dantean landscape where survival seems far from guaranteed.

Away from Yellowknife, our journey takes us further south to Calgary, where those like Ndlovu and their throng of evacuees will face a seven-hour journey, albeit not before getting a fresh set of tyres – a solemn reminder of the fierce heat melting roads and driving wildlife to despair.

Recently graduated Naledi Ndlovu provided an insider’s perspective from a rest stop in the distant Grand Prairie—a weary 1,200 kilometers from Yellowknife. Reliving the terror and tumult of the exodus illustrated the haunting drama enfolding in Canada.

Natural disaster statistics can often be faceless, but these fires are anything but impersonal. The overwhelming damage spans two million hectares – the size of the entire area of Greece – of pristine Canadian wilderness. The fire season has already seen nearly 6,000 fires across the country, and with over 1,000 still burning, it’s officially the worst fire season on record for Canada.

Through the chaos, an undeniable human spirit persists, even as the fires threaten to consume everything. In Fort Smith, evacuee Garth Carman rescued five cats before making his dangerous escape eastward. His description of his journey through exploding trees and waves of flames were reminiscent of a battlefield, underscoring the anxiously unpredictable nature of such emergencies.

Indeed, it’s a grim picture across the Northwest Territories, as it contends with 236 active fires, forcing thousands from their homes and into strangers’ homes, evacuation centers, or camping trailers.

Our journey dovetails with a harrowing tale of escape, where a family’s Toyota Tundra pickup was rear-ended in the panicked rush to outrun the wildfire. Worse still, the heat was so intense it deformed all four tyres, providing a chilling illustration of the severity of these fires.

As this desperate exodus from Yellowknife continues, an urgent question arises: How does Canada prepare for the next fire season in the wake of such an unprecedented disaster? For now, all eyes are on the survival and resilience of those left in the wake of the unforgiving flames.

Fasten your digital seatbelts, folks. In the universe of tech billionaire Elon Musk, the concept of blocking online is looking down the barrel of obsolescence – that is, if the controversial CEO’s recent grievances about X’s block function boil down to more than just hot air. Musk, never one to shy away from challenging convention, has been vocal about turning X – his version of the former media giant Twitter – into a sort of digital war zone where unfettered communication reigns supreme.

In recent months, Musk has been evident in his disdain towards the culture of blocking on social media platforms. Earlier in June, he proposed a revision to Twitter’s blocking process, advocating a “stronger form of mute” instead. He’s freewheeled, on more than one occasion, about the scourge of extensive block lists and mass blocking campaigns spotted on Twitter Blue. However, Musk’s track record of executing on his promised reforms has been spotty at best. And scraping the block feature might be an act of recklessness that backfires on a grand scale.

Since elevating himself to the digital throne, Musk’s bid to reconstruct X has certainly fuelled headlines. TweetDeck has transitioned to X Pro, introducing a paywall earlier this week, potentially revamping the platform’s operational dynamic. And then, there was the mysterious throttling of third-party links to media outlets such as Instagram, The New York Times, and others – a covert operation that was spotlighted and subsequently dissolved after a report by The Washington Post. The possibility of scrapping the block feature, or relegating it to the realm of premium access, might seem remote, but it’s not completely out of contention.

Interestingly, both Apple and Google mandate stipulations in their guidelines that social networking apps must equip users with mechanisms to block abusive content and users. Musk’s disdain for the rulebook is no secret but, in the past, he’s had to retract in the face of Apple’s rigid oversight. And therein lies the looming question: will Musk opt for a direct confrontation with these two digital goliaths over the block button?

More so than just digital hygiene, the blocking function forms an integral part of many users’ online experience. It serves as an essential management tool, allowing users to ward off spam and harassment seamlessly. Even fledgeling social networking platforms, such as microblogging site Bluesky, swung into action promptly after the absence of a block button caused inconvenience to its user base – highlighting the demand for such a feature. According to Windows Central editor-in-chief Daniel Rubino, “Blocking is a form of moderation for users.”

Moving forward, the technical complexity of dismantling the block feature remains a grey area. Amidst Musk’s ongoing campaign to trim X’s team members and revamp its antiquated infrastructure, the repercussions of phasing out the block feature might be more disruptive than he imagines. But as Musk reiterated in an X post on Friday, “Block is going to be deleted as a ‘feature’… It makes no sense” – it seems his crusade against social media censorship continues. Whether his pursuit is soon met with widespread dismay or applause, only time will tell.

Technology and digitalization are inarguably shaping the world’s future, with its surefire strides finding resonance even in the fundamental sector of national identification. California has broadened the scope of its revolutionary pilot program, providing its constituents an option to possess a digital driver’s license or identification card on their mobile devices. Moving past traditional forms of identification, the Golden State has embarked on this digital journey to make identification more convenient and succinct.

Dubbed as the “mDL” or mobile driver’s license, the digital ID is unveiled as an initiative of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). If you harbor notions of leaving your physical ID at home, the DMV wants to color those thoughts with a shade of reality. Law enforcement, state government agencies, and businesses have yet to assent to the acceptance of mDLs. Only a select number of airports and retail locations approve their use as of now.

The green light for digital IDs in California came after Governor Gavin Newsom implied the possibility of this technological transformation earlier this year. Los Angeles’ NBC 4 revealed a few weeks ago that the pilot saw more than 2,000 people testing the digital driver’s license waters. The DMV has since announced the scaling of the program to an impressive 1.5 million participants, thus amplifying the initiative’s potential reach and impact.

Would-be users of the digital ID need only download the “CA DMV Wallet” app on either iOS or Android platforms to enroll in this free pilot program. However, denizens awaiting to use this feature in iOS or Android’s native wallets may be left desiring, as California’s digital ID is compatible exclusively with the state’s dedicated app. “At this time mDL is not available for Apple or Google wallets,” declares the DMV, though it leaves room for optimism, noting the possibility of including additional platforms in the future.

Privacy is a paramount concern when it comes to digital personal data. The DMV maintains that the app does not store personal data on a permanent basis, however, there is a catch. It does retain your phone number and an encrypted image of your driver’s license or ID card. This move, presumably, aids in record-keeping and trackability while also ensuring user security.

The mobile driver’s license ushers in a new era of convenience, allowing users to pass through airport security or even establish their validity of age while purchasing alcohol. Yet it’s important for Californians to remember that the digital ID is not a wholesale replacement for the traditional physical ID or driver’s license — at least not yet.

As much as the world is embracing the digital wave, the full acceptance of such a reform needs time, validation, and improvements in robustness. It’s critical for stakeholders to weigh the advantages and disadvantages, and, as with any new tech advancement, users must exercise caution in ensuring their personal data’s protection.

As with any nascent technological advancement, there exist facets of the mDL that are yet to be explored and challenges yet to be addressed. Nonetheless, this initiative marks a progressive step in the direction of digitalization, nudging us towards a future unimagined only decades ago. The world will watch carefully how the logistics of this innovation unfold in California, shaping the path forward for digital identities worldwide.

With the magnification of its pilot project, California continues to exhibit its penchant for daring innovation and technological advancements. As this digital ID journey forges ahead, one can only predict the transformations it might instigate in the realm of personal identification. And while we soak in the novelty of this digital stride, we must also arm ourselves with the necessary wisdom to navigate this new terrain.

In a showdown that could reshape the way creators are compensated for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Yuga Labs, the mastermind behind popular NFT collections such as Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks, has announced it will block trading of its newer NFT collections on the platform OpenSea by February 2024. This protest stems from OpenSea’s decision to make royalty collections optional, a move that threatens to hit Yuga Labs hard.

Contrary to the inflated promises offered by Web3 technology, it’s been up to the marketplace to enforce and distribute fees for NFT artists. This has become increasingly challenging as the NFT bubble cools and marketplaces have chosen to leave artists in the cold, reducing fees to lure in sellers. OpenSea, the leading force in this marketplace, has dipped their fee down to a meager 0.5%, a stark contrast to the 5-10% typically commanded by artists.

This dispute does not, however, impact all of Yuga’s NFTs. It has been clarified that due to certain tech limitations, it’s only the “upgradable contracts and new collections” that will lose OpenSea’s support. This ensures that established collections such as Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks will endure on OpenSea with little change to their trading status.

The principle behind NFTs was for creators to receive royalties each time their work is bought and sold. For companies like Yuga Labs that have experienced explosive growth in popular collections, these lingering royalties sum up to an impressive fortune. Based on information provided in a blog post, Bored Apes helped rake in around $35 million exclusively through OpenSea trading as of November 2022.

NFT creators are increasingly reliant on this model, creating limited collections before cultivating their value in hopes of accruing notable resale royalties. An insightful case in point is the Bored Apes story, with original selling prices around $220, later escalating to an astounding $216,000 for a single NFT purchased by Jimmy Fallon, a mere year later.

In a recent comment to The Verge, Yuga Labs spokesperson Emily Kitts disclosed plans to stop OpenSea’s platform from trading their collections as they remove royalties tracing. She, however, refrained from delving into the specifics of the collections that will be affected.

The straw that tipped Yuga against OpenSea came after OpenSea’s announcement that they would voluntary-ize artists’ royalties by March 2024. This essentially converts royalties into optional tips that sellers can choose to share or not. Taking effect from August 31st, this policy applies to all new collections.

Underpinning Yuga’s stance, CEO Daniel Alegre asserted the company’s belief in protecting creator royalties, ensuring that creators are appropriately compensated. Before now, Yuga Labs had restricted specific transactions on Blur and other platforms that failed to enforce royalty fees.

In conclusion, the face-off between Yuga Labs and OpenSea is a dramatic escalation of the ongoing debate regarding artists’ rights in the NFT sphere. It’s a reminder that while NFTs have created new venues for creativity and commerce, the rules of the game are still up to be defined – a fact that’s staring right at the face of the proponents and enthusiasts of these digital assets.

As murky clouds of discontent gather in the virtual football space, an annoying audio issue is creating a vexing cacophony for PlayStation 5 and PC Madden 24 players. In an ironic twist of the serenity before the storm, gamers are reporting bizarre sound glitches including popping and crackling audio, underscored by sporadic disappearing sound channels.

According to reports from the Madden subreddit, these audio hiccups occur during gameplay. Essentially, half the audio vanishes, then resurfaces with an unpleasant presence of static each time a play concludes and a cutscene rolls. Treating these glitches like an unwanted halftime show, players with surround sound audio setups—be it speakers, soundbars, or headphones—appear to be the primary victims.

Electronic Arts, the gaming giant behind Madden 24, has yet to provide a full breakdown of the issues or a promise of a server fix. However, it hasn’t fallen on deaf ears, as avid players of this beloved franchise are throwing their audible touchdowns on forums, desperate for a solution.

Interestingly, The Verge’s Nilay Patel provides a player’s perspective on the issue. Confirming firsthand that the problem persists on his PS5 while using a Dolby Atmos rig, the saga of stubborn sound hiccups refuses to subside even after switching the PS5’s output to just stereo. A browse through the labyrinthine Reddit post also reveals users expressing their audible angst via loud popping sounds that strike every few seconds or whenever the game comes to a pause. These aberrations potentially suggest that the issue lies within a modification in the output set up.

Repairing the sonic landscape isn’t as easy as piecing together Madden’s defensive formation. The lack of an official patch from EA has left gamers doing their workaround calisthenics, figuring out remedies to these ear-grating issues. In an amusing occurrence, a PC user managed to contrive an incredibly intricate solution that involves shutting off an array of features. Although we’re currently unable to test this potential panacea, various video commentators suggest it works—an abstractly gratifying protocol in the absence of a professional fix.

The controversy over these troubling sound-blems appeared to rope in rap legend Snoop Dogg, initially thought to be irked by the audio glitches. However, it later turned out that his grievance was primarily rooted in the game’s server issues.

Whilst the Madden community awaits an official fix from EA, the soundtrack to the game has become an orchestra of popping and crackling for many. Should you decide to brave these field goals of discomfortable noises, it’s wise to note that your surround sound setup might just be the 12th Madden player, throwing off your in-game strategies with unexpected audible interferences.

The game of football is as much about acoustics as it is about actions, and when the roars of the crowd, the crunch of a tackle, or the referee’s whistle is punctuated by unsettling sound glitches, it’s a missed pass for everyone involved. Gamers around the globe are all hoping that EA can soon provide a fix to this grand audio performance, turning down the distortion and bringing back the resonant, clear calls that Madden 24 should deliver.