Roblox, TikTok, and Fortnite are facing scrutiny and regulatory actions, while New York considers a pause on data center development. These developments highlight ongoing concerns about child safety, addictive platform design, and the environmental impact of technology.
Roblox reported that 45 of its daily active users had undergone age checks as of January 31, following the introduction of mandatory facial verification for access to chats, according to TechCrunch. This move came in response to lawsuits from the attorneys general of Texas, Kentucky, and Louisiana, who alleged the platform exposed young users to risks like grooming and explicit content. The age-check process, handled by a third-party vendor, Persona, requires users to allow camera access and follow on-screen instructions. Roblox stated that it deletes images and videos after processing.
Meanwhile, the European Commission accused TikTok of designing its app to be addictive, citing features like infinite scroll, autoplay, and push notifications, as well as its recommendation engine, according to TechCrunch. Preliminary findings from an investigation into TikTok's compliance with the Digital Services Act revealed that the platform did not adequately assess how its design decisions could harm users, particularly minors and vulnerable adults. The Commission noted that TikTok disregarded indicators of compulsive use, such as time spent at night and frequency of app openings. "By constantly rewarding users with new content, certain design features of TikTok fuel the addictive nature of the platform," the Commission stated, according to TechCrunch.
In other news, Epic Games confirmed that a Fortnite account believed to be linked to Jeffrey Epstein was a hoax. According to The Verge, the developer stated that an existing account owner changed their username to "littlestjeff1" after the alias was found in the Epstein files.
Additionally, New York lawmakers introduced a bill that would impose a three-year moratorium on data center development, according to Wired. This makes New York at least the sixth state to consider such legislation in recent weeks. State Senator Liz Krueger, a Democrat, stated that data center moratoriums are being tested as a model throughout states. The bill was presented at a press conference on Friday with cosponsor Assemblymember Anna Kelles, also a Democrat.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment