Data Privacy
Ongoing coverage on Data Privacy.
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Morning Legal Briefs
Meta is facing a class-action lawsuit regarding privacy concerns associated with its AI glasses. Separately, Proton Mail has reportedly handed over protester data to the police, raising further privacy issues.
Arc Raiders accused of logging private Discord chats in privacy scare
Arc Raiders is facing scrutiny after reports indicated its client logged private Discord messages and authentication tokens. Embark Studios has released a hotfix to disable excessive logging and stated that private data was not sent externally. The developer has also promised a system audit following the incident.
Arc Raiders Was Recording Private Discord DMs
Embark Studios' game Arc Raiders was found to be recording and storing players' private Discord direct messages locally on their PCs. The company has acknowledged the issue, released a hotfix, and stated that the messages were not reviewed or stored externally. An audit will be conducted to prevent future incidents.
MMO Business Roundup: Sony pulls back from PC ports, US considers compelling Tencent divestment
Sony is reportedly ceasing PC ports for PlayStation 5 games due to concerns over weak sales and brand dilution, though multiplayer titles like Marvel Tokon and Marathon are unaffected. Separately, the U.S. government is considering compelling Tencent to divest from western gaming investments amid data privacy and potential military links concerns.
US government reportedly debating whether to force Tencent to give up its US-based game holdings
The US government is reportedly considering forcing Tencent to divest its stakes in US and Finnish game companies due to national security concerns. Tencent holds significant shares in numerous major developers, raising fears of potential access to personal data of US citizens. This debate has been ongoing since 2020, with a recent meeting on the matter postponed.
Trump Administration Debating Allowing Chinese Company Tencent to Keep Its Stakes in U.S. Gaming Companies Such as Fortnite Maker Epic and League Dev Riot - IGN
The Trump administration is reportedly debating whether to force Chinese company Tencent to divest its stakes in U.S. gaming firms like Epic Games and Riot Games due to national security concerns. Officials are assessing the risk posed by Tencent's investments, including its ownership of Riot Games and a significant stake in Epic Games, ahead of a meeting with China's president. The U.S. Department of Defense previously classified Tencent as a Chinese military company.
Report: US government may compel Tencent to divest gaming investments
The US government, under the Trump administration, is reportedly considering forcing Tencent to divest its gaming investments due to national security and data privacy concerns. Investigations initiated under the Biden administration have raised questions about Tencent's access to data from millions of American players through its stakes in companies like Epic Games and Riot Games.
Evening Safety Dance
The article discusses the risks associated with chatbot data harvesting, highlighting how these systems can collect sensitive personal information. It raises concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of user data.
Meta's AI display glasses reportedly share intimate videos with human moderators
Meta's AI-powered smart glasses in Europe are reportedly sharing intimate videos and sensitive financial data with human moderators in Kenya. Users must agree to terms of service that allow data review for AI training, raising concerns about compliance with GDPR regulations.
'We failed at our most basic job:' Discord delays age verification rollout
Discord is delaying its age verification rollout, which requires face scans or identity documents, until the second half of 2026 due to community backlash and privacy concerns. The company's CTO admitted they failed to clearly explain the process, leading to widespread skepticism, especially after a past data breach. New verification options, including credit card usage, will be added, and Discord pledges transparency regarding third-party vendors.
Discord concede they mucked up their age verification system rollout, delays it, will still make some of you do it
Discord has delayed the global rollout of its age verification system to the latter half of 2026, acknowledging missteps in its initial announcement and the use of Persona, an identity detection firm. The company stated that 90% of users will not need to verify their age, with options for the remaining 10% designed to only collect age information. Discord also confirmed they will not work with Persona due to their data handling practices and will ensure any future partners meet stricter on-device processing requirements for biometric data.
Discord admits it rushed age checks and is rethinking the rollout
Discord has delayed its global age-verification rollout until the second half of 2026, admitting it mishandled the initial announcement and faced user backlash. The company plans to introduce more verification options, enhance transparency regarding data handling and partners, and ensure on-device processing for any facial age estimation. This decision comes amid growing concerns about facial scans, ID checks, and third-party vendors, as well as increasing online safety laws in various regions.
Discord delay global rollout of age verification to improve transparency and add more options
Discord is delaying the global rollout of its age verification system to improve transparency and offer more user options. The company acknowledges a failure in clearly explaining the process and intends to add more verification methods, such as credit card verification, and enhance vendor transparency before proceeding. For regions where age checks are legally mandated, such as the UK and Australia, current rules will remain in place.
Are you happy with the comeback of PUBG || PUBG comeback poll
PUBG Mobile has officially returned to India as Battlegrounds Mobile India, following its ban last September. Krafton, the developer, announced the game's comeback with a focus on India-specific events and a commitment to data privacy. While a specific download date is not yet confirmed, the game is listed as 'Coming Soon' and will be free-to-play with pre-registration available.
Release date of PUBG Mobile India
Krafton is preparing to launch Battlegrounds Mobile India, a localized version of PUBG Mobile, with an anticipated release around July 1, 2021. The game will feature India-specific content, adhere to government regulations, and include restrictions for players under 18, such as parental consent and playtime limits. User data will be stored within India to address privacy concerns.
