financial ties Archives

AppWizard

February 15, 2025

Indie FPS developer targets content creators who take undisclosed payments from rival developers and then dunk on his game: ‘You and I will have legal problems’

Connor Drake, the lead developer of Operation: Harsh Doorstop, expressed concerns about financial arrangements between content creators and game developers, particularly regarding undisclosed payments for favorable reviews. He warned creators that if they received over ,000 from competing studios in the past year and did not disclose this in their reviews, they could face legal repercussions. Drake clarified that he does not oppose negative reviews as long as they are transparent about financial ties. He accused some content creators of being compensated by Delta Force for positive coverage without following FTC guidelines, leading to backlash and admissions of undisclosed sponsorships. Drake highlighted a case where YouTuber Actman apologized for not disclosing a ,000 sponsorship for Delta Force coverage. He outlined potential legal actions against creators who fail to disclose financial relationships while producing negative comparisons to other titles. Operation: Harsh Doorstop, released in early access on Steam in 2023, has a 'Mostly Positive' rating from over 17,000 reviews but competes with established titles like Squad and Battlefield.

AppWizard

September 19, 2024

Global police sting topples ‘Ghost’ criminal messaging app

Australian and international police have dismantled an encrypted communications platform called "Ghost," used by criminal gangs for drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent crimes. The operation resulted in 51 arrests, with 38 in Australia. The servers of Ghost were located in France and Iceland, and its creators were identified in Australia, with financial ties to the U.S. The primary suspect, a 32-year-old Australian citizen, was arrested for creating and administering Ghost since its launch in 2017. Users acquired modified smartphones for approximately 2,350 Australian dollars, which included a six-month subscription and tech support. Europol estimates thousands of individuals used Ghost, exchanging around 1,000 messages daily. Law enforcement infiltrated the network in spring 2022, enabling them to prevent numerous violent incidents and save 50 potential victims. The operation involved nine countries and led to the dismantling of a drug lab in Australia, as well as the seizure of weapons, drugs, and over €1 million in cash.

AppWizard

May 18, 2024

Drawing the Line: Japan’s Crackdown on Messenger App Signals Need for International Digital Rules – Korea Economic Institute of America

- Line, a popular messenger and social media platform in Japan, is under scrutiny due to a data breach in late 2023. - The Japanese government has issued two rounds of administrative guidance to Line Yahoo, signaling its stance on data security and national interest. - There are tensions between Japan and South Korea due to Line being a joint venture between Japan's SoftBank and South Korea's Naver. - Japan is pushing for Naver to reduce its ownership in Line Yahoo to strengthen cybersecurity, which is seen as an attempt to curb foreign influence in the Japanese market. - The Line issue highlights the need for internationally recognized digital governance standards and a framework to resolve digital trade conflicts.

AppWizard

May 10, 2024

Line app developer Shin to step down from board of Japan’s LY

- Shin Jung-ho, the Korean executive at LY, the company behind Line app, is resigning from his position on the board. - Naver and SoftBank are in discussions about a possible revision of their ownership stakes in LY. - SoftBank is contemplating various options to enhance its stake in LY. - LY is enhancing its security measures in response to a cyberattack on Naver Cloud. - The Japanese government's push to reduce Naver's involvement in LY has been met with criticism in Korea.

AppWizard

May 5, 2024

Naver says pressure from Japan to divest Line messenger stake is unusual

- Japan's government has called for a restructuring of the partnership between Naver and SoftBank over the Line mobile messenger app following a data breach that exposed Line users' personal information through Naver's cloud server. - Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon stated that Naver's decision-making regarding the guidance will be informed by its broader business strategy. - The Korean government has pledged cooperation to address Japan's guidance, with ongoing discussions taking place. - Both ruling and opposition parties in Korea have criticized Japan's guidance as excessive and discriminatory. - The Japanese Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication clarified that its guidance is non-binding. - SoftBank is in negotiations with Naver to purchase a portion of its stake in A Holdings, the joint venture that owns LY Corp. - Naver's CEO will communicate the company's official stance once a comprehensive plan is in place.