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Details about an epic-looking upcoming sci-fi adventure game just dropped. The images and teaser trailer depict a post-apocalyptic world in which humans in primitive-style garb battle giant dinosaur-like robots while sweeping orchestral music plays. It all seems a little familiar. But wait, this isnt the next Horizon game from Guerrilla. Oh, no, no. This is an initial look at a game from a Tencent subsidiary called Polaris Quest. Guerrilla and Sony don't exactly hold a monopoly on tamable robot dinosaurs or open-world crafting games. But at first glance, Light of Motiram is a pretty blatant Horizon ripoff. It mimics Guerilla's art style and animations, right down to the abundant lens flares. One image shows a trio of human characters using bows and spears to tackle a mammoth-style machine. Even the game's logo font and description ape that of Horizon's Light of Motiram is about humanity's attempt to "rebuild from the dawn of a new primitive era." There are some differences, in fairness. Here, you can construct your own shelters, while trained "Mechanimals" can help you in combat. There's co-op support for up to 10 players as well. While Guerrilla is working on a multiplayer game, the recent Lego Horizon Adventures spinoff is the only Horizon game to date that features co-op. In one sense, fans of the Horizon series will understand why it's apt that the games seem to have effectively been cloned. We'll have to wait to see just how egregiously Polaris Quest has copied Aloy's adventures. Light of Motiram doesn't have a release window as yet, but the seemingly free-to-play title is coming to Steam and the Epic Games Store. Unless Sony slaps Tencent with a cease-and-desist first, that is.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/a-new-game-from-tencent-looks-like-a-pretty-blatant-horizon-ripoff-174935880.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Australia is set to ban under 16s from social media services after the Senate passed a bill to that effect by 34 votes to 19. The legislation will return to the House of Representatives, which will need to approve amendments before it becomes law. That is all but a formality as the government holds a majority in that chamber. The bill, which has been fast-tracked, sailed through the lower house in a 102-13 vote earlier this week. The government has said that the likes of Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and X will be subject to the new rules, which wont come into force for at least 12 months. However, officials still have to confirm which platforms the ban actually covers as they aren't detailed in the bill. The BBC notes that the countrys communications commissioner, Michelle Rowland, will determine that with help from a so-called eSafety Commissioner. The latter will be responsible for enforcing the law. The rules will not apply to health and education services, gaming platforms or messaging apps, nor those that dont require an account. So, the likes of Fortnite, Roblox and YouTube are likely to avoid any ban. Companies that are subject to the legislation could face fines of up to $49.5 million AUD ($32.1 million) if they fail to comply. They will have to employ age-verification tech, though the specifics of that have yet to be determined. The government plans to assess various options in the coming months, but Rowland confirmed this week that platforms won't be able to compel users to submit a personal document (such as passport or driver license) to verify their age. Researchers have claimed that mooted age-verification systems may not work in practice. Critics, meanwhile, have raised concerns over privacy protections. While there are certainly valid concerns about the harms of social media, such platforms can be a lifeline for younger people when theyre used responsibly. They can help vulnerable kids find resources and peers they can turn to for advice. Social media can also help those in rural areas forge authentic social connections with others who live elsewhere. Under 16s who continue to access banned platforms wont be punished. Resourceful teens may find it very easy to bypass restrictions using a VPN, which could make the law largely toothless. The online world also extends far beyond the reach of a small number of centralized social media platforms. There are other pockets of the internet that teens can turn to instead. For instance, there are still a large number of active forums for various interests. When the legislation becomes law, Australia will set the highest minimum age for social media of any jurisdiction. France has tabled legislation to block users under 15 from social media without parental consent and its now pushing for the European Union to move forward with a similar undertaking across the entire bloc. Norway plans to bring in legislation along those lines, while the UK's technology secretary recently indicated that it was an option for that country. Utah last year passed laws to limit minors' social media use. The state's governor repealed and replaced those earlier this year following legal challenges. However, in September, a judge blocked the most recent legislation just days before it was set to take effect. Other states have considered similar laws.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/australia-is-one-step-away-from-banning-social-media-for-under-16s-160454882.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can now go after scammers posing as tech support providers even if it's the consumer who called them up. It has just approved amendments to its Telemarketing Sales Rule that expands its coverage to include "inbound" calls to companies pitching "technical support services through advertisements or direct mail solicitations." Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, explained that the new rule will allow the agency to hold these scammy businesses accountable and to get money back for the victims. "The Commission will not sit idle as older consumers continue to report tech support scams as a leading driver of fraud losses," Levine also said, because the rule's expansion would mostly help protect consumers 60 years and older. According to the agency, older adults reported losing $175 million to tech support scams in 2023 and were five times more likely to fall for them than younger consumers. Tech support scams typically trick potential victims into calling them by sending them emails or triggering pop-up alerts claiming that their computer has been infected with malware. Scammers then ask their targets to pay for their supposed services by wiring them money, by putting money in gift or prepaid cars or by sending them cryptocurrency coins, because those methods can be hard to trace and reverse. They've long been a problem in the US the agency shut down two massive Florida-based telemarketing operations that had scammed victims out of $120 million in total way back in 2014 but the issue has been growing worse over time. The $175 million victims reported losing in 2023 was 10 percent higher than the reported losses to tech support scams in 2022. As the FTC notes, the Telemarketing Sales Rule has been updated several times since the year 2000 before this latest amendment. The first amendment in 2003 led to the creation of the Do Not Call Registry for telemarketers, while subsequent changes were made to cover pre-recorded telemarketing calls and debt collection services.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/ftc-expands-rules-to-hold-tech-support-scammers-accountable-143051612.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
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