Tag Archives: Society & Culture

ADL report finds Steam is ‘rife’ with racist posts and images

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Valve’s Steam store is more than just a place to buy computer games online. It’s an active community of gamers. Unfortunately, a sizable portion of those gamers are posting an “unprecedented” amount of hateful, racist and anti-Semetic content on the gaming site’s cyber social gathering place Steam Community, according to a report from the Anti-Defamation League.

The organization found 1.83 million unique pieces of “extremist or hateful content” from 1.5 million unique users in 73,824 groups. The content included “explicitly anti-Semitic symbols” and “tens of thousands of instances” of users showing support for foreign terrorist groups. The online gaming community even included an alarming number of “copypastas,” more than half of which were variations of Nazi swastikas.

The Anti-Defamation League found an alarming number of images containing references to neo-Nazis on Steam Community
ADL

The report also found a “significant number” of Steam avatars with hateful symbols. Investigators uncovered 827,758 users with extremist or racist-signaling avatar images including the cartoon character Pepe the Frog in Nazi regalia or adorned with stereotypical tropes and looks, swastikas, the white supremacist skull or “siege” mask and the Nazi Eagle. Another 15,129 avatars contained images of flags, emblems or logos of terrorist groups, the majority of which referred to the jihadist group ISIS.

The ADL even uncovered images that “glorify violent extremists” and violent hate crimes. The report found references to and stills from tragedies like the 2019 Christchurch, New Zealand shooting and the stabbing of five people in Eskisehir, Turkey committed by an 18 year old wearing neo-Nazi imagery.

Even the “Collections” and “Mods” community on the gamer gathering site contained hundreds of mods that contained hateful imagery. An unidentified user named after the Christchurch shooter Brian Tarrant took the Valve physics sandbox game Garry’s Mod and made the “Australian S**poster collection.” The user recreated Tarrant’s body armor look and posted screenshots implying the character is killing Muslims just as Tarrant did in 2019.

The images the Anti-Defamation League found on Steam Community included references to foreign terrorist groups like ISIS.
ADL

Other users utilized the Garry’s Mod game to create maps that also celebrated tragedies like the Columbine High School shooting and the Tops supermarket white supremacist shooting in Buffalo. The maps inspired even more racist comments and reactions such as “make synagogue next” and “remember labs, subscribe to PewDiePie,” a chilling reference to a comment Tarrant made on a livestream just before he committed his shooting.

The ADL accused Valve, Steam's owner, of not taking enough action to remove or curb the use of these images in its communities. The report claims Valve has a “highly permissive approach to content policy” and only took action “in rare notable cases.”

“Steam has selectively removed extremist content, largely based around extremist groups publicized in reporting or in response to government pressure,” the ADL report says. “However, this has been largely ad hoc, with Valve failing to systematically address the issue of extremism and hate on the platform.”

We’ve reached out to Valve for a comment on the ADL’s report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/adl-report-finds-steam-is-rife-with-racist-posts-and-images-203934592.html?src=rss

Discord leaker Jack Teixeira gets 15-year sentence for sharing classified documents

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Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira received a 15-year sentence in federal prison for leaking classified military documents on Discord in a Boston federal court, according to The Washington Post.

Teixeira appeared before the court earlier today and asked the judge for leniency. He also issued a statement apologizing for “all of the harm that I’ve caused, to my friends, family and those overseas.”

Defense attorney Michael Bachrach also claimed that Teixeira was subjected to bullying in high school and his military unit as an adjudicating factor for his actions. Judge Indira Talwani didn’t buy the defense’s bullying claims stating that the Air Force has already disciplined 15 other members connected to Teixeira for not taking more actions “that might have stopped him from doing this.”

Teixeira shared classified military documents as far back as late 2022 on a Discord server dedicated to the pixelated sandbox game Minecraft. The leak included information about the Ukrainian and Russian troop movements and military equipment used in the war in Ukraine and Russia's attempts to obtain more weapons from Egypt and Turkey. The documents eventually found their way to other Discord servers as well as 4chan and Telegram.

FBI officials arrested Teixeira at his home in April of last year. Teixeira originally agreed to a plea deal with federal prosecutors in March that included a 16-year prison sentence for pleading guilty to six counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information and violating the Espionage Act. If he stuck with his not guilty plea and received a guilty verdict, Teixeira faced a much steeper maximum prison term of 60 years.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/discord-leaker-jack-teixeira-gets-15-year-sentence-for-sharing-classified-documents-231319586.html?src=rss

NetEase executives and workers were reportedly arrested amid a corruption investigation

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The ex-head of NetEase's esports division and NetEase Games' former general manager are said to have been arrested on money laundering and bribery charges. Alongside ex-executives Xiang Liang and Jin Yuchen, several other people who worked at the company were reportedly arrested over alleged corruption.

As noted by Game Developer, Chinese outlet Leifeng reported that the former employees in question allegedly laundered in the region of 800 million to 1 billion yuan ($111 million to $139 million). NetEase confirmed to Bloomberg Law only that police were investigating possible corruption. The company is said to have dismissed nine staff members for alleged bribery.

Several external individuals were also implicated, according to Yicai Global. The outlet noted that, per an internal memo, NetEase will refuse to do business with 27 companies that have been connected to the alleged fraud and corruption.

NetEase is behind the likes of Diablo Immortal and Naraka: Bladepoint (the latter of which averages more than 109,000 players on Steam at any given time). It has two free-to-play shooters on the way based on major franchises, namely Marvel Rivals and Destiny: Rising.

White collar crimes aren't quite a rarity in the games industry. Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka was last year handed a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay just over $1.1 million after admitting to insider trading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netease-executives-and-workers-were-reportedly-arrested-amid-a-corruption-investigation-180055502.html?src=rss

NetEase executives and workers were reportedly arrested amid a corruption investigation

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The ex-head of NetEase's esports division and NetEase Games' former general manager are said to have been arrested on money laundering and bribery charges. Alongside ex-executives Xiang Liang and Jin Yuchen, several other people who worked at the company were reportedly arrested over alleged corruption.

As noted by Game Developer, Chinese outlet Leifeng reported that the former employees in question allegedly laundered in the region of 800 million to 1 billion yuan ($111 million to $139 million). NetEase confirmed to Bloomberg Law only that police were investigating possible corruption. The company is said to have dismissed nine staff members for alleged bribery.

Several external individuals were also implicated, according to Yicai Global. The outlet noted that, per an internal memo, NetEase will refuse to do business with 27 companies that have been connected to the alleged fraud and corruption.

NetEase is behind the likes of Diablo Immortal and Naraka: Bladepoint (the latter of which averages more than 109,000 players on Steam at any given time). It has two free-to-play shooters on the way based on major franchises, namely Marvel Rivals and Destiny: Rising.

White collar crimes aren't quite a rarity in the games industry. Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka was last year handed a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay just over $1.1 million after admitting to insider trading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netease-executives-and-workers-were-reportedly-arrested-amid-a-corruption-investigation-180055502.html?src=rss

Black people across the country have been getting racist texts about slave plantations

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Black people throughout the country, in more than 20 states, have been getting racist text messages that order them to report to a plantation for slave labor, according to reporting by CNN and numerous other outlets. The texts reference “slave catchers” and “picking cotton,” in addition to warning the recipients that they will be searched upon arrival.

These hate-filled messages have been received by both kids and adults. The “texts appear to be targeting Black and Brown individuals, including students,” New York’s attorney general Letitia James said. Various AG offices from other states have also issued statements.

The texts all come from unknown phone numbers and began ramping after the election on Tuesday. NAACP president Derrick Johnson said that “these messages represent an alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country, who now feel emboldened to spread hate and stoke the flames of fear that many of us are feeling after Tuesday’s election results.”

The mother of a University of Alabama student who received one of the messages said that “it’s eerie that it’s the day after the election. It’s eerie that it came to my daughter’s personal phone. It’s eerie that it’s only going to Black students.”

A spokesperson for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign wrote in a statement that it “has absolutely nothing to do with these text messages.” The FBI has addressed the situation in a statement, noting that it’s been in “contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.”

It remains unclear who sent the texts and how they did it. The messages targeted people of color, suggesting that the senders had biographical information on the recipients. Many of the messages were sent through TextNow, a free app that provides phone numbers, texting and calling services.

TextNow told CNN that it believes this is a “widespread, coordinated attack.” The service lets people sign up anonymously and sends texts via randomly-generated phone numbers. It says it has been busy “rapidly disabling the related accounts.” The company is also “working alongside our industry partners to uncover more details and continue to monitor patterns to actively block any new accounts attempting to send these messages.”

If you have received one of these horrific texts, lawmakers encourage you to reach out to your state’s AG or email OAGCivilRights@dc.gov. It’s currently unknown how many people have received the messages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/black-people-across-the-country-have-been-getting-racist-texts-about-slave-plantations-173059798.html?src=rss

Black people across the country have been getting racist texts about slave plantations

Posted on by

Black people throughout the country, in more than 20 states, have been getting racist text messages that order them to report to a plantation for slave labor, according to reporting by CNN and numerous other outlets. The texts reference “slave catchers” and “picking cotton,” in addition to warning the recipients that they will be searched upon arrival.

These hate-filled messages have been received by both kids and adults. The “texts appear to be targeting Black and Brown individuals, including students,” New York’s attorney general Letitia James said. Various AG offices from other states have also issued statements.

The texts all come from unknown phone numbers and began ramping after the election on Tuesday. NAACP president Derrick Johnson said that “these messages represent an alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric from racist groups across the country, who now feel emboldened to spread hate and stoke the flames of fear that many of us are feeling after Tuesday’s election results.”

The mother of a University of Alabama student who received one of the messages said that “it’s eerie that it’s the day after the election. It’s eerie that it came to my daughter’s personal phone. It’s eerie that it’s only going to Black students.”

A spokesperson for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign wrote in a statement that it “has absolutely nothing to do with these text messages.” The FBI has addressed the situation in a statement, noting that it’s been in “contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.”

It remains unclear who sent the texts and how they did it. The messages targeted people of color, suggesting that the senders had biographical information on the recipients. Many of the messages were sent through TextNow, a free app that provides phone numbers, texting and calling services.

TextNow told CNN that it believes this is a “widespread, coordinated attack.” The service lets people sign up anonymously and sends texts via randomly-generated phone numbers. It says it has been busy “rapidly disabling the related accounts.” The company is also “working alongside our industry partners to uncover more details and continue to monitor patterns to actively block any new accounts attempting to send these messages.”

If you have received one of these horrific texts, lawmakers encourage you to reach out to your state’s AG or email OAGCivilRights@dc.gov. It’s currently unknown how many people have received the messages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/black-people-across-the-country-have-been-getting-racist-texts-about-slave-plantations-173059798.html?src=rss

Striking New York Times tech workers made their own versions of Wordle and Connections

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The New York Times Tech Guild asked the publication's readers not to play its games, including Wordle and Connections, in solidarity when it announced that it was going on strike on November 4. Now, the guild has released its own versions of the The Times' games so that readers can still play without crossing its digital picket line. Of course, the workers' versions won't be able to keep your Wordle streak running, but they're pretty much the same games you've been playing on the publication's website. 

The guild is made up of over 600 unionized tech workers that include software engineers, product managers, data analysts and designers — the people behind the publication's games, as well as The Times' Cooking app. In the guild's GoFundMe for the strike, it said it's been bargaining for its first contract over the past two years, but the The Times' management "dragged its feet" and even allegedly committed unfair labor practices by implementing return-to-office mandates without bargaining and trying to intimidate members who were going on strike. 

The guild explained that it's pushing for The Times to address racial disparities in its workers' pay and to ensure real job security. Apparently, the publication's management had fired someone days before a major brain surgery in the past and had used performance review plans as a pretense to fire employees. The guild is also accusing management of disproportionately targeting women and POCs with its "arbitrary disciplinary process."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/nyt-tech-workers-on-strike-made-their-own-versions-of-wordle-and-connections-130047922.html?src=rss

Rideshare drivers in Massachusetts can unionize without being full-time employees

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Massachusetts has passed a statewide ballot initiative that gives rideshare drivers the opportunity to unionize while remaining independent contractors. The initiative was brought forward by the Service Employees International Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. It passed with a narrow margin of about 54 percent of the vote.

The measure will allow the state's 70,000 rideshare drivers to form unions and leverage collective bargaining power, which is not permitted for independent contractors under the National Labor Relations Act. These workers can unionize if they receive signatures from at least 25 percent of active drivers in Massachusetts. The initiative also creates a hearing process so that drivers for companies such as Lyft and Uber can bring complaints about unfair work practices to a state board. However, the ballot initiative does not contain language about strike protections. It also does not extend to food delivery drivers.

Uber and Lyft did not actively campaign against the Massachusetts measure, but they have raised concerns about the specific language. Some labor advocates also opposed the initiative, cautioning that it could hamper efforts for rideshare drivers to win recognition as full-time employees. "We're not against unionization," Kelly Cobb-Lemire, an organizer with Massachusetts Drivers United, told The New York Times. "But we don't feel this goes far enough."

Independent contractors often are not protected by federal or state labor laws because they aren't full-time employees. The Massachusetts ballot measure could create a precedent for other states to offer unionization options for gig workers. California has been a battleground for labor protections for gig workers who drive for Uber and Lyft for several years. Most recently, a court allowed California drivers to retain independent contractor status.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/rideshare-drivers-in-massachusetts-can-unionize-without-being-full-time-employees-212202426.html?src=rss

NLRB accuses Grindr of using a return-to-office mandate to upend a unionization drive

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The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed a complaint against Grindr. According to Bloomberg, the agency alleges that a return-to-office (RTO) mandate that limited remote work and effectively meant a relocation requirement for many workers was an attempt to fend off a unionization drive. Around 80 of Grindr's 178 employees quit as a result of last year's RTO demand, according to the Communications Workers of America (CWA).

The NLRB's general counsel office has accused Grindr of violating labor law by retaliating against workers who were attempting to organize. Per Bloomberg, the agency additionally claims the company refused to recognize the union or to negotiate with it in good faith, which would also be a violation of labor law.

A Grindr spokesperson told the publication that the claims were "meritless." They added that some employees started signing union cards "only after it was known that the transition back to in-office work was underway."

According to the CWA, the company announced on August 4 last year that workers would have to attend its offices at least two days a week. A supermajority of workers announced their unionization in July. The union claims that, by the end of August, around half of the staff had been forced to resign. This, in part, was said to a result of relocation requirements. 

Among other issues, having to relocate would have required some of Grindr's trans employees to find alternate healthcare providers, the union has said. "The RTO mandate gave workers two weeks to choose between ending their tenure at Grindr or relocating to their respective team’s newly assigned 'hub' city to work in-person twice a week," the CWA said when it filed an Unfair Labor Practice against Grindr in September 2023. As CNN noted, many of the workers who had been hired remotely were suddenly required to report to a Grindr office in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Washington DC. 

This is hardly the first time Grindr has been in hot water lately. Earlier this year, the company was sued for allegedly sharing personal information — including HIV statuses and test dates, ethnicity and sexual orientation — with advertising companies without users' consent.

In a statement sent to Engadget, Grindr United-CWA called today's complaint "another huge victory" for the union. The full statement follows:

Today’s complaint from the NLRB is another huge victory for our union. After management instated a retaliatory relocation policy just days after we went public about our organizing efforts, more than half of our colleagues were either forced to relocate to a “hub” to work in person, or leave the company with a severance in exchange for our silence.

When we filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB last year, we collectively held Grindr accountable in protecting workers’ rights and our right to form a union. That’s why we formed Grindr-United: to ensure collaboration and a seat at the bargaining table.

We hope this NLRB filing sends a clear message to Grindr that, with a union, we are committed to negotiating fair working conditions in good faith. As we continue to build and expand worker power at Grindr, this win in our favor is a positive step toward ensuring that Grindr remains a safe, inclusive, and thriving place for users and workers alike. 

Update, November 4, 5:40PM ET: This story was updated after publish to include a statement from Grindr United-CWA.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/nlrb-accuses-grindr-of-using-a-return-to-office-mandate-to-upend-a-unionization-drive-211507122.html?src=rss

An AI-generated ad left thousands of Dubliners waiting for a Halloween parade that never came

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Thousands of people took to the streets in Dublin to attend a Halloween parade that never came, according to reporting by The Independent. Why did they do such a thing? It was all due to an AI-generated ad that promoted the fake event.

The My Spirit Halloween website advertised the completely fabricated Macnas Halloween Parade, which was supposed to take place from 7PM to 9PM on the streets of Dublin. News of the parade quickly spread online, and it even received a news ranking on Google.

So, yeah, thousands of people put on their Halloween costumes and stood on the street for a couple of hours, waiting for an event that would never happen. They even left room in the street for the parade to pass by. That’s thoughtful, but also a bit sad.

The situation forced Ireland’s police force to put out a message to urge would-be parade-goers to “disperse safely.” A spokesperson for the organization said that “contrary to information being circulated online, no Halloween parade is scheduled to take place in Dublin city center this evening or tonight.”

Local city councilor Janice Boylan expressed disappointment over the whole situation.“Everyone is trying to have a fun and safe Halloween. Having a parade to go to sounded really good,” she said. “I know an awful lot of people turned up. It’s a terrible pity.”

The My Spirit Halloween listing has been taken down, but there remains the question as to why it turned up in the first place. It’s worth noting that this is a different entity from the popular seasonal retailer Spirit Halloween.

The My Spirit Halloween website looks to come from Pakistan and posts all kinds of AI-generated content like the ad that caused all of this trouble, according to Yahoo News. This particular post happened to get picked up by TikTok and Google, causing the rapid dissemination of the, literal, fake news.

It’s pretty wild, right? An AI-generated post likely created in Pakistan caused thousands of actual people to take to the streets halfway across the globe. What is that curse again? Oh yeah. “May you live in interesting times.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/an-ai-generated-ad-left-thousands-of-dubliners-waiting-for-a-halloween-parade-that-never-came-162550781.html?src=rss