The Communication Watchdog is accused of endorsing major technology for the safety of under-18s after England’s children’s commissioners criticized new measures to address online harm. Rachel de Souza warned Offcom last year that the proposals to protect children under online safety laws are inadequate. She expressed disappointment that the new code of practice published by WatchDog ignored her concerns, prioritizing the business interests of technology companies over child safety.
De Souza, who advocates for children’s rights, highlighted that over a million young people shared their concerns about the online world being a significant worry. She emphasized the need for stronger protection measures and criticized the lack of enhancements in the current code of practice.
Some of the measures proposed by Ofcom include implementing effective age checks for social media platforms, filtering harmful content through algorithms, swiftly removing dangerous material, and providing children with an easy way to report inappropriate content. Sites and apps covered by the code must adhere to these changes by July 25th or face fines for non-compliance.
Critics, including the Molly Rose Foundation and online safety campaigner Beavan Kidron, argue that the measures are too cautious and lack specific harm reduction targets. However, Ofcom defended its stance, stating that the rules aim to create a safer online environment for children in the UK.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also advocated for stricter online protections for children, calling for measures to reduce harmful content on social media platforms. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle is considering implementing a social media curfew for children to address the negative impacts of excessive screen time.
Overall, the new code of practice aims to protect children from harmful online content, with stringent measures in place for platforms to ensure a safer online experience. Failure to comply with these regulations could result in significant fines or even legal action against high-tech companies and their executives.
The internet’s foundation is crucial for various services, from entertainment platforms like TikTok to essential functions like emergency services, banking systems, and political and military communications.
However, the network of undersea cables around the coasts of Great Britain and Ireland has been targeted by military, terrorist, or criminal actors, leading to incidents where internet cables were cut, disrupting communication in the Baltics. As 75% of transatlantic cables pass through or are near Ireland, the strategic importance of these cables is significant for the UK and Europe.
Recent incidents, such as cable cuts between Finland and Estonia, have raised concerns about the security of Ireland’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that extends beyond its coast.
Ireland’s neutrality and limited defense capabilities have left the country vulnerable to potential threats. Calls have been made for a reassessment of Irish defense policies and the need to secure vital infrastructure.
There is growing recognition that Ireland’s neutrality may not shield it from modern threats, and steps must be taken to protect against potential attacks on critical infrastructure.
Current discussions are focusing on Ireland’s vulnerability, the need for increased defense resources, and potential collaborations with other countries facing similar security challenges.
Efforts are being made to address gaps in surveillance capabilities and response mechanisms to safeguard critical undersea infrastructure from unexpected threats.
The Russian ship Yantar will be observed by a Royal Navy ship when it enters British waters in January. It was discovered in the Irish Sea in November. Photo: Royal Navy/PA
Ensuring the security of undersea cables in Europe is essential for safeguarding communication networks and vital services across the continent.
Collaboration and investment in defense capabilities are key to protecting critical infrastructure and responding effectively to emerging threats in the undersea domain.
It is imperative for countries to prioritize the security of undersea cables and strengthen their defense forces to address potential vulnerabilities in the global communication network.
By enhancing surveillance, response capabilities, and international cooperation, nations can mitigate risks and ensure the resilience of undersea infrastructure.
Considered one of West Antarctica’s most infamous glaciers, the “doomsday glacier” has earned its nickname due to the potentially significant rise in sea levels it could cause, ultimately reshaping coastlines. This glacier, known as Thwaites Glacier, is massive, the size of England and spanning 120km wide. It extends from the peak of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to the Amundsen Sea, where it reaches out onto an ice shelf.
Unfortunately, Thwaites Glacier is experiencing troubling changes, with a notable increase in ice loss over recent years as a consequence of climate change. The rate of ice loss has doubled in the past 30 years due to rising ocean temperatures, which lead to the melting of the ocean floor beneath the glacier. Warm water is being transported towards Thwaites, particularly deep below the ocean surface, contributing to this rapid ice loss. The land beneath West Antarctic glaciers is below sea level, and the sloping ocean floor means warmer waters can intrude underneath, eroding the glaciers and making them less stable.
A recent study revealed that Thwaites Glacier may be more susceptible than previously believed, with seawater surging beneath it for kilometers. The melting of glaciers, including Thwaites, could result in a significant rise in sea levels, potentially impacting coastal areas worldwide. Additionally, the collapse of Thwaites could trigger nearby glaciers to follow suit, further elevating global sea levels by more than three meters. This irreversible loss on human timescales would mark a critical “tipping point.”
Scientists are concerned about the potential collapse of Thwaites Glacier, as it could have disastrous consequences for sea levels and climate. Researchers are exploring strategies to adapt to these expected changes and protect coastal regions at risk of submersion. The costs of preparing for rising sea levels are substantial, emphasizing the importance of proactive planning and adaptation. While sea level rise is inevitable, proactive measures can help mitigate its impact and protect vulnerable populations and ecosystems.
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Despite the impending challenges, scientists and experts emphasize the importance of courage and adaptation in the face of climate change. Dr. Caitlen Norton from the British Antarctic Survey stresses the need for resilience and preparedness to address the growing threat of rising sea levels. Adapting defenses, protecting coastal areas, and planning for future changes are crucial steps in mitigating the impact of climate change on coastal regions.
MLast week's big Xbox announcement from Microsoft turned out to be somewhat anticlimactic. Just four games, none particularly shocking, will be coming to PlayStation and Nintendo Switch in the near future. (Annoyingly, Microsoft executives declined to be named, but it was later reported by Famitsu and The Verge that the games in question were Sea of Thieves, Grounded, Pentiment, and Hi-Fi Rush.) (This matches the game I have in mind; I've heard it from other sources.)
Microsoft has no intention of exiting the console market or making all its games multi-platform, as the Whiplash rumormongers have hotly speculated. And the (very valuable) Xbox Game Pass subscription service remains exclusive to Xbox and PC.
This is not essentially news. Microsoft is already one of the biggest publishers of PlayStation, especially now that it owns both Bethesda and Activision-Blizzard. So everything from Skyrim to Call of Duty to Minecraft is technically a Microsoft game. If Microsoft's head of games, Phil Spencer, announced last year that Starfield would be developed for the PlayStation 5, or if Xbox head Sarah Bond announced that Microsoft would develop an Xbox-only game, for example. If they had said they were abandoning the idea completely, well, that would have been the case. This is a big change worth reporting home (or, in my case, writing to you). Rather, it's a small extension of a strategy Microsoft has pursued for years. Every time I've talked to Microsoft executives over the years, they've always offered some variation of the line, “Play the games you want, with the people you want, wherever you want.” Last week's Xbox broadcast.
Instead, the announcement highlighted how harmful and outdated the idea of console wars is.Adults are still overly invested in the idea of a console identity, and some of the products Microsoft has spent billions of dollars developing or acquiring on other, far more popular gaming consoles. The very prospect of releasing it was enough to cause excitement. tantrums and emotional outbursts;. The Xbox community has been in an uproar over the issue for weeks, with X people posting wartime memes and YouTubers posting videos with titles like: “Xbox…it's over!”.
No doubt some of this anger is designed to get more clicks, but most of it is misplaced passion. Fans care a lot about Xbox and the games that Xbox Studios has brought us over the years, but fundamentally they care about which machine the video game is played on, Steam deck or Switch, Xbox or PlayStation. . Microsoft's own management has been saying this for years, and anyone who hasn't heard it hasn't.
Sea of Thieves on Xbox One. Photo: Rare
The console wars were never anything more than a marketing strategy. Like when Sega vs. Nintendo created one of the great business rivalries of the 1990s (remember the catchphrase “What does Sega do that Nintendo doesn't do?”) and when Microsoft , there were times over the years when it was still very entertaining. ™'s continued fumbling with his Xbox One announcement in 2013 gave Sony ample opportunity. playful piss.
But that's no longer fun, now that the culture wars have turned every aspect of modern life, from politics to parkruns, into a hostile nightmare. It's ridiculous to see people arguing over video game consoles as if it were a matter of life and death.
But even if what we're discussing doesn't matter, how we discuss it does. Toxic fandom is a problem everywhere from football to video games to Star Wars, and its loud, illogical, and mean-spirited nature reflects trends in public discourse since 2016. doing. Bad actors have tried to use video game fandom as a weapon to direct their anger. If you set goals that align with their purpose, they will try again.
Getting back to Xbox, to me, the problem with Microsoft's presence in the gaming world is that it's a huge company focused on continued growth. Unlike Sony or Nintendo, the company has nearly limitless resources, as recent acquisition activity shows. We're still working on changing our history of acquiring great studios. crush them Through corporate intervention. I wonder if some companies have the power to buy out competitors in creative industries where competition is key to the diversity, innovation, and creative value of work. Microsoft has started bringing Xbox games to rival consoles, which actually suggests do not have It's desperate to dominate this space and allow more players to benefit from the fruits of its many studio efforts. This is safe.
This isn't the end of Xbox consoles, but let's take this opportunity to call for an end to the manufactured console wars. They really make us all look bad.
what to play
pacific drive. Photo: Ironwood Studio
I understand that pacific drive It's inspired by Jeff VanderMeer's bizarre novel, and playing it is like driving a beat-up car into the exclusion zone of Annihilation. There, strange and frightening things await you under eerie hues and thunderous skies. And your poor vehicle is the only thing standing between you and them. You ride into the zone over and over again, never knowing what you're going to see. Repair the car in the garage with what you found and try to further investigate what is going on.
Everything is very peaceful until it suddenly isn't so peaceful and you fumble to manually turn the lights and wipers on and off while running away from the storm.
Available on: PC, PS5 Estimated play time: Still do not know…
what to read
Stroke Tthe Animals video game by TJ Gardner. Photo: TJ Gardner
If you've ever absentmindedly looked at the PlayStation Store, you may have seen it. pet the animal Game – A basic, eyebrow-raising game where you press a button and pet an animal (i.e. a JPEG of an animal) for a few minutes to earn a simple trophy. When Ellie Gibson looked into the contents of these games, he discovered an unexpected story.
Peripheral device manufacturers PDP It is coming out as new guitar controller Used in the festival music game component of Fornite (and Rock Band 4 for those still playing). Fun fact: Fortnite Festival was developed by Harmonix, the developer of the original Guitar Hero and Rock Band games.
If you can get to Asda, you might be able to buy a copy of last year's ill-fated Wizard FPS Immortals of Aveum On PS5 for 1 pound. It's not a bad game, but it was released in one of the busiest gaming years on record and sadly sank without a trace.
Embracer grouphas gone on a wild acquisition spree funded by Saudi speculative funds that suddenly disappeared last year, laying off 1,400 people, canceling 29 games and shuttering several of the studios it acquired. Therefore, the company's CEO Definitely a popular statement Layoffs are “something everyone has to overcome.”
Ever wanted to play Mario Kart to the accompaniment of a live jazz band? In Oklahoma, you can:
Report finds LGBTQ+ representation in video games lags behind movies and TV
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Edition Review – A great remaster of Lara Croft’s Lost Ark
question block
sunset overdrive. Photo: Microsoft
This week's question from reader Paul:
“What game would you like to go back and re-score (if you could)? Were you too harsh or too lenient on the game back then?”
So, Paul, it's clear that I was right from beginning to end. Except when I'm not. Most of my early critical gaffes are thankfully hidden in the pages of his 10-20 year old magazines, but some remain in the public domain. Dear reader, may I humbly declare that I was wrong about Assassin's Creed 3? should have been more strict towards.
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