Consumer Protection
Ongoing coverage on Consumer Protection.
Latest coverage
Baltimore sues xAI over Grok deepfakes
The city of Baltimore has filed a lawsuit against xAI, alleging that its AI chatbot Grok violated the city's Consumer Protection Ordinance. This action follows widespread criticism of Grok's image generation tool for creating millions of sexualized images, including those of minors. The lawsuit claims xAI failed to disclose the risks associated with using Grok and the X social network.
Steam Still Selling $50 Kerbal Space Program 2 Despite Studio Closure
Kerbal Space Program 2 remains on sale for $50 on Steam despite its development studio closing nearly two years ago, with the last update occurring around the same time. Players are criticizing Steam for not providing clearer warnings about the game's abandoned status, highlighting issues with the Early Access model's integrity. This situation raises concerns about consumer protection and could prompt reforms on digital storefronts.
Adobe agrees to pay settlement for making its subscriptions hard to cancel
Adobe has agreed to a $75 million settlement with the US government to resolve a lawsuit alleging deceptive subscription practices. The company was accused of making it difficult to cancel subscriptions and obscuring early termination fees. Adobe denies wrongdoing but will provide free services and pay the settlement amount, while also stating it has streamlined its subscription processes.
Valve faces a second lawsuit over game lockboxes as it argues that they’re exactly like trading card packs
Valve is facing a second lawsuit, this time a class action in Washington state, concerning its in-game lockbox monetization. The lawsuit alleges that these lockboxes are designed to mimic slot machines and employ psychological mechanisms similar to casinos. Valve has previously compared lockboxes to trading card packs in response to a similar lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general.
Valve facing second, class-action lawsuit over loot boxes
Valve is facing a second class-action lawsuit alleging that loot boxes in games like Counter-Strike 2, Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2 constitute illegal gambling, particularly targeting children. The lawsuit claims Valve engineered these systems using casino-style tactics to extract money from consumers, and that the virtual items obtained are valuable as they can be sold for real money.
WARNING: Scam Text Message " Use to complete PAYMENT at ASDA "
This article warns readers about a scam text message impersonating ASDA payment confirmations. The message, which includes a fake payment amount and a contact number, is identified as a scam. Readers are advised not to reply, to block the number, and to be vigilant against similar fraudulent messages regarding payments, deliveries, or family contact.
